New Publications

Award winning songwriters Jan Garrett, J.D. Martin and Lisa Aschmann have written a very poignant, meaningful song about relationships, which will go straight to the heart of singers and those in the audience.

Available at Cypress Choral Music Publishing

THE SPACES IN BETWEEN US

Old Wine in New Wineskins
(Ten Christmas Carols Set to New Tunes for SATB and Piano)
by Robert Kemppainen

New and additional texts, settings and tunes by Robert Kemppainen including: Joy Forever (Joy to the World) Christ, A Rose (Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming) Noel Noel (The First Noel) Realms of Glory (Angels from the Realms of Glory) Herald Angels on the March (HarK the Herald Angels Sing) From Heaven an Angel Came on Down (From Heaven Above to Earth I Come) Away (Out West?) in A Manger (Away in a Manger) O Little Bethlehem (O Little Town of Bethlehem) Three Wise Kings (We Three Kings of Orient Are) How Silent the Night (Silent Night) Traditional texts, settings and tunes are by various author and composers and are in the Public Domain.

Each carol includes a historical description, citing some interesting facts about it. These descriptions as near to historical accuracy as I could come. Some of these carols, dare I say most of them, were intended to be used only once for a special occasion and then were unceremoniously filed away, never given another thought by the composer. It is a miracle that they survived. As you can imagine, some of their origins were lost too and were only reconstructed as well as possible, in some cases decades later. “Silent Night” has a particularly interesting history. Hint: It wasn’t the mouse!

If you purchase 5 copies of “Old Wine in New Wineskins” in either the Print version or the Electronic Version, you have permission to reproduce as many copies as you need for performance of the work by your organization. With this purchase you also have permission, royalty free, to record, reproduce and sell or give away copies of the performance to people in your organization. (Church, school, club etc.)

You can see and hear it at:
https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/search.jsp?keywords=kemppainen

If you click the little page icon under the word “preview” you can both see and hear the score, though you have to scroll to keep up with the music. There is a pause button in the upper left-hand corner if you want to read the hymn histories or inspect the music. The choir parts are played on guitar, because I do own own a choir. The piano parts are played on piano. 😉

Vienna Teng’s “Hymn of Acxiom” is an absolutely wonderful piece. While Robin Salkeld’s arrangement is beautiful, this very relevant song remains a little unnerving. Enjoy!

Available at Cypress Choral Music

HYMN OF ACXIOM

Written for SSAA a cappella and available now on SheetMusicPlus. You can peruse the score and hear a recording of the Agnus Dei.

Text in Latin. Premiered and recorded by the Piedmont Choirs, Bob Geary, Director. Also recorded by the Peninsula Women’s Chorus, Martin Benvenuto, Director. This set of three short a cappella movements has been performed by high-school-age women’s ensembles as well as adult groups. The biblical texts are set in Latin: the Agnus Dei, Beatus Vir, and Jubilate Deo. The set was composed so that any single movement could be performed on its own or together as a group.

Mimi, in the comments section of my website, wrote about the Agnus Dei movement: “My high school choir is doing a report on this song and it’s really pretty and fun to sing omg” 🙂

I am pleased to announce that my 2021 composition for mixed chorus and piano titled THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER (On the Water) is now available for sale from Sheet Music Plus. A setting of the same-named poem by James T. Fields (1817–1881), this secular work is useful for sea or youth-themed concerts. Here is a link to this title.
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22091352

I am pleased to announce that my 2020 brief choral fanfare KINDLE THE TAPER with words by Emma Lazarus was recently published by ECS Publishing Group. Scored for SATB Chorus and Harp (Piano), with opt. Trumpet, Horn in F, and Crash Cymbals, this work is an effective holiday concert opener.

Duration: 2:15

https://www.ecspublishing.com/kindle-the-taper.html

Kindle the taper like the steadfast star
ablaze on evening’s forehead o’er the earth,
and add each night a luster till afar
an eight-fold splendor shine above thy (your) hearth.
Clash, Israel, the cymbals, touch the lyre,
blow the brass trumpet and the harsh-tongued horn;
chant psalms of victory till the heart take fire,
the Maccabean spirit leap new-born.

—Emma Lazarus, S.M.H., alt.