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One from the Folder: Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

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#57: Friday, December 6, 2019

Christmas and Holiday concert and caroling ideas, for SA, SSA, and easier SSAA

We all have our Christmas and holiday rep solidified for this year already, as our concerts are likely in the next week or two. But, while its fresh in my mind, this seemed the perfect time to put a few titles together, for when holiday concert planning is upon us next year. Generally speaking, these are possibilities for SA, SSA, and easier SSAA – selections well-suited to a larger intermediate ensemble, or a smaller advanced ensemble. This is by no means a comprehensive list of options! But I hope this gives you a place to start from, when thinking about next year’s Christmastime performances.

Some of the selections I have mentioned in full blog posts previously, and have linked below.
Best wishes in this busy concert season!

Alleluia
Donald Kendrick
Santa Barbara Music Publishing
SSA, a cappella

Not Christmas- or holiday-specific, but could be a good multi-use piece. Homophonic three-part. Comfortable ranges. All diatonic, can be taught/learned on solfege. Rhythms primarily quarter/eighth, with some borrowed triplets. Ample opportunity for shaping.

Alleluia Rejoice!
Arr. J. E. Hughes
Santa Barbara Music Publishing
SA, a cappella, with some handbells

Quick read. An excellent last minute addition, as it is fast to put together. Two parts – one singing Hodie Christus Natus est and one singing O Come O Come Emmanuel. Big presentational possibilities. One choir in front, one in back; or processional; or surrounding the audience. Great opportunity to explore your space. Handbells are used sparingly for pitch support and effect – not a separate line of music. Can be played by members of the choir.

https://choralnet.org/2018/07/one-from-the-folder-weekly-repertoire-thoughts-for-womens-treble-choirs-18/

Come Adore the Infant Holy
Arr. Nancy Grundahl
Alliance
SSA, a cappella

This carol arrangement has a relatively simple harmonic structure, but is a beautiful and warm. A lovely addition to a candlelight concert or service.

Gaudete!
Michael Engelhardt
Walton
SSA, percussion

This one is definitely not quiet! High energy. Driving. Needs strong percussionists, clean rhythm, and crisp diction. Perfect up-tempo option to shake up a concert!

Hodie Christus Natus Est
Agneta Skold
Walton
SSAA, a cappella

This one is SSAA, but infinitely solfege-able. And you can lean heavily on a soloist for the opening. 4 parts, but homophonic. Can likely be put together quickly depending on singers’ reading level. Some chant sections, which provide a great opportunity to work on text-focused stress and phrasing, instead of beat-focused.

https://choralnet.org/2018/08/one-from-the-folder-weekly-repertoire-thoughts-for-womens-treble-choirs-24/

In dulci Jubilo
arr. Vicki Courtney
Carl Fisher
SSA (also as SA)

Text setting interweaves Latin and English text. 6/8, homophonic 3-part, plus triangle. Nearly all diatonic, can be learned on solfege. Motivic melodic and rhythmic patterns. Great option for a larger intermediate ensemble that wants to branch out into 3-parts, but isn’t ready yet for polyphony.

Le Sommeil de l’Enfant Jésus
Ron Jeffers
earthsongs
SSA, a cappella

French carol. Beautiful light setting in minor – good opportunity for introducing or reinforcing minor-key solfege. Easy rhythms. Strophic, so it is quick to learn. Solo option in the middle makes it even quicker to learn. Could be a lovely trio or small group option.

https://choralnet.org/2018/07/one-from-the-folder-weekly-repertoire-thoughts-for-womens-treble-choirs-19/

“Magnificat” from The Nativity According to St Luke
Thompson, arr Seitz
ECS
SSA, organ

The organ part is harmonically supportive, but not overbearing to a smaller ensemble. The middle section is a solo, which cuts down on material to learn in rehearsal. Lovely chance to feature a strong soprano soloist.

Riu Riu Chiu
Arr. Erica Phare-Bergh
Cypress
SA, recorder, hand drum

Light, easy version of the familiar tune. Only 2-part voice, so a nice option for a less-experienced group. Recorder (or flute or oboe) and hand drum add variety and energy.

https://choralnet.org/2018/04/one-from-the-folder-weekly-repertoire-thoughts-for-womens-treble-choirs-6/

 

The Snow
Elgar
SSA, piano and 2 violins

Not specifically sacred or Christmas, but definitely winter. Long beautiful lush lines. Need two violinists with good intonation and rhythm skills, but could definitely be possible with strong student performers.

The next four are from Paul Carey’s “Carols for Women’s Choirs” book – if you aren’t familiar with this book, grab a copy!  It is a veritable fount of Christmas repertoire for SSA, as well as more challenging SSAA. Plenty more options in his book besides these four, but these are some quality options that are less difficult:

Personent Hodie
SSA, with 2 flutes

Quelle cette est odeur agréable?
SSA, a cappella

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
SSA, w cello

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came
SA (with some div), 2 flutes

Holiday Caroling Sets – all a cappella – SSA and SSAA

A Caroling We Go – SSA, arr. Linda Spevacek. Heritage Music Press.

10 Carols, all with added endings and/or beginnings. Super-quick to learn, almost sight-readable, for advanced groups. Or a good first foray into a cappella caroling, for an intermediate ensemble.

Joy! A Carol Collection – SSA, arr. Jay Althouse. Alfred.

20 Christmas carols. Fairly traditional voicings, with some chromatics or added harmonies. Good option for your group that wants to try something more difficult than the Spevacek above, but isn’t yet ready for the Rouse or Weir below.

 

Three Jazzy Bell Carols – SSAA, arr. Jay Rouse. Shawnee.

As advertised, all are jazzy settings of familiar tunes. Ding Dong Merrily on High – multiple key changes. Jingle Bells – slow and stylized. Jazzy Bells – scat version of Carol of the Bells. All tricky, but loved by singers and audience alike.

A Holiday Jazz Trio – SSAA, arr. Michelle Weir. Alfred.

Let It Snow, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and Jingle Bell Rock. Not a quick read. 4 part tight jazz harmonies, with some tricky spots, especially for S2 and A1 internal chromatics. But well worth the effort. Perfect for your advanced group, or really excellent quartets/octets.

 

A Christmas Jazz Trio – SSAA, arr. Michelle Weir. Alfred.

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, O Christmas Tree, and Winter Wonderland. Not a quick read. 4 part tight jazz harmonies, with some tricky spots, especially for S2 and A1 internal chromatics. But well worth the effort. Perfect for your advanced group, or really excellent quartets/octets.

————

Until next time!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts

Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.
Email:
Bio: https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

7 LAST MINUTE Holiday Repertoire Ideas that WILL work!

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 It’s not too late to additional holiday musicto your concert!

I have 7 killer suggestions

AND

provide a fast and effective strategy for teaching each piece

Most pieces can be downloaded instantly, in time for today’s rehearsal!

Here are:

7 Last Minute Holiday Repertoire Ideas that Will work!

7 LAST MINUTE Holiday Repertoire Ideas that WILL work!

Please consider joining our Choral Clarity Facebook Group, where we are building a community of forward-thinking Choral Directors who share their wins, problem-solve together, and help one another to become more effective. 

One from the Folder: Weekly Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

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Week 24: Friday, August 31, 2018

“Hodie Christus natus est” by Agneta Sköld
Liturgical antiphon
SSAA, a cappella

This Christmas selection by Swedish composer Agneta Sköld alternates between joyful cheer and contemplative chant. It would make an energetic and meaningful addition to your holiday program.

For a group that already has solid solfege and counting skills, this will likely be a “quick read.” The work is entirely in D major, with no accidentals, so it can be taught/learned very quickly on solfege. Rhythmically, there are quarters, eighths, ties, and sixteenth notes, but nothing out of the ordinary. It could be a great last-minute add to a program, or give just the right energy as a concert opener.

At the same time, if your ensemble is currently working strategically to strengthen their solfege and literacy skills, this could be a perfect selection on which to put their skills to active use. Because of the strongly tonal nature, it could be a successful skills-into-practice opportunity.

The work itself opens with a chant section in English, telling the Christmas story from Luke 2. The piece was originally written for a Swedish ensemble, so the recording linked below uses Swedish for these chant portions. This opening could be performed by one soloist, or by the whole ensemble. If using the full ensemble for this chant portion, it becomes an excellent exercise in unison singing. Attention is needed to match tone, vowel, breath, and phrasing, as well as to understand the free-rhythmic nature of chant. If using a soloist for this portion, you could put them in a balcony or loft space to add both visual and aural contrast.

After the opening unmetered chant, the piece jumps to a cheerful MM=114 – full of energy, joy, and solid rhythmic structure. These measures are primarily homophonic, with only minor deviations. One exception is the entrance of the “Gloria” text on the second page. Each line starts their material here in an imitative fashion, spinning out into a lovely forte passage spanning two octaves from A2 to S1. This bright and exuberant choral section ends with a taper from f to mf to p, and closes with a softly-spoken “pax.”

Next, Sköld goes back to a chant-like feel, again with English lyrics. The line begins in unison then expands to five notes per chord. This section could be one individual per part, or it could be the whole ensemble. Either way, attention must be paid to the free-rhythm aspect of chant, so that all harmonic shifts are made together as a unit. Syllabic stress is of singular importance.

After this second chant section, the piece returns to uptempo Latin for the final few measures. The song closes with flourish, crescendoing from mf to a strong ff.

When I programmed this piece with my ensemble, they were past “just learning solfege” but definitely not yet to “could sight-read something cold.” They knew a system, and they knew how to use the system, but hadn’t had a lot of practice yet applying it directly to real literature (as opposed to sight-reading examples). This piece turned out to be an excellent choice for that term. I could assign small bits as sectional material and know that my students had all the tools to learn the material correctly outside of class, without my assistance. It was an empowering repertoire choice for the students to utilize their new literacy skills.

All in all, this is a lovely Christmas selection by Agneta Sköld, and one with lots of potential. I enjoy the way the piece alternates between chant and rhythmic sections, varying the texture, tone, and the language. I also appreciate that the song is unapologetically in D major, with not an accidental in sight. For groups looking to strengthen their reading skills, the stalwart adherence to an established tonic is a significant aspect of making the work accessible to many different levels of ensemble.

Title:Hodie Christus natus est
Composer:Agneta Sköld
Date of Composition:2007
Text Source:Liturgical antiphon
Subject(s), Genre:Christmas, holiday
Language:Latin/English
Listed Voicing:SSAA
Voicing Details:SSAA w/ minor divisi, and optional solo
Ranges:S1: D4-A5
S2: B3-D5
A1: A3-A4
A2: F#3-F#4
Accompaniment:a cappella
Duration:~2:40
Tempo:ad lib/chant, and MM=114
Dedication:For Hjo Church Youth Choir and Mats Bertilsson
Publisher:Walton Music WW1482

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/hodie-christus-natus-est-ssaa-print-ww1482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNc6jNWGOPs (Naxos recording link)

Until next week!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts

Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.
Email:
Bio:     https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

One from the Folder: Weekly Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

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Week 19: Friday, July 27, 2018 

“Le Sommeil de l’Enfant Jésus” arr. Ron Jeffers
Traditional French carol
SSA, a cappella

This is a favorite carol of mine to program. Over the last decade, I have used it for three different choirs, at two different schools. Ron Jeffers’ a cappella setting of this 13th century French carol is beautiful and unassuming, without sounding “easy.” It is one of those songs that has great functionality as a teaching tool for numerous concepts but is also a lovely and rewarding piece of music to perform and to hear. Everyone – students and audience alike – has loved it. It’s a win-win for nearly any Christmas or winter holiday event.

Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris,
Dors, dors, dors le petit fils:
Mille anges divins,
Mille seraphins,
Volent à l’entour
De ce grand Dieu d’amour

Entre les roses et les lys,
Dors, dors…                    

Entre les pastoreaux jolis,
Dors, dors…                    

Between the ox and the grey donkey
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little child:
A thousand divine angels,
A thousand seraphim,
Hover around
this great God of love

Among the roses and the lilies,
Sleeps, sleeps…

Among the handsome shepherds,
Sleeps, sleeps…

Many of the aspects that I love about this piece are from a music literacy and pedagogy perspective. It has much to offer – either to introduce or reinforce concepts, depending on the level of your group.

The arrangement itself is straightforward and strophic, with three brief verses and three repetitions of the chorus. For the first verse/chorus, the S1s have the melody, while the S2s and As have primarily-stepwise homophonic harmony. The second verse/chorus is marked as a solo melody, while the lower voices have the same harmony as the first verse. Text for the harmony this time is “loo” instead of the French. There is some limited divisi here in the S2 line, but if your S1s are tacet behind the soloist, they can move down to cover the divisi. This solo could also be a duet, trio, or small group. For the third verse/chorus, entrances are staggered by a measure, creating the layered feeling of a round. However, after their initial entrance, the voice parts are similar to earlier verses, so there is minimal new material to learn. Jeffers’ arrangement closes with a brief coda, an elongated version of the final four measures of the verse.

Nearly all motion is step-wise, except for a few leaps in the melody line. For a group used to two-part songs, this could be a chance to branch out to three parts. The step-wise motion helps make it easier to stay on a part without getting lost. The only significant leap is from C#5 to F#5 in the melody line. This fourth comes between phrases though, so there is plenty of time for a breath and good placement.

Phrases are compact, symmetrical, and almost always four-bars. This is a good opportunity to emphasize fluidity, phrasing and breathing, without overtaxing less experienced voices.

The meter is 2/4. Rhythms are introductory: quarters, eighth pairs, and half notes, with the occasional dotted quarter+eighth (beat, divided beat, tie, extension dot). All ranges stay within an octave or a ninth and are very comfortable for all voice parts.

Motives and harmonies are very similar between verses, making for quick learning. This can be an easy read for an experienced group. Or, for an ensemble who is actively working on transferring their literacy skills to the sheet music, this piece is a great way to have success early and often.

The key is f# minor. All pitches except one fall within the natural and harmonic minor scales. Great chance to work on so vs. si*. The only outlier is the Picardy third on the final chord, raising do to di*. (*if in la-based minor)

The setting is a cappella, but the harmonies are stable and familiar. Singers can feel confident, even if this is a relatively new foray into unaccompanied singing.

The French is beautiful, but not lengthy or complicated. It is a nice chance to add a new language, without being too overwhelming. There are only 40 short measures of text to learn, because the verses are just 8 measures long. That’s 8 for each verse, plus 16 for the chorus. Technically, one of those verses is a solo, so it’s only 32 measures for the full ensemble.

The strophic nature of the piece allows for flexibility in the length. One possibility is to add a verse all on ooh or ahh, using the harmonies from verse 1. Or, you could add one or more repeats of the first verse with text, before singing the 8-measure coda  (V1, 2, 1, 3, coda). There are also other verses to this carol, which could perhaps be added (with appropriate permission from the publisher). With additional length, the song can be used as a processional. In that case, I would suggest moving on verses 1 & 2, and being in place by the time the imitative entrances of verse 3 begin.

Outside of these teaching-focused concepts though, I am very much drawn to the beauty and simplicity of the arrangement. There is something serene about Jeffers’ setting, which connects so well with the images created by the text: a quiet stable, warm animals, a tiny sleeping child, a peaceful moment of love. As conductors, we often have a plethora of holiday repertoire to choose from, including numerous settings of carols. Many are flashy, up-tempo settings, with brass, organ, fanfares, and percussion…or gorgeous, lush settings with strings…or complex, intricate, polyphonic puzzles. Believe me, I love all of those as much as the next conductor! But, sometimes a second of quiet introspection is just what a concert or holiday event needs to really reach the audience. For that intimate moment, I love this setting by Jeffers.

Title:Le Sommeil de l’Enfant Jésus (The Sleep of the Infant Jesus)
Source:traditional French carol
Arranger:arr. Ron Jeffers
Date of Arrangement:1989
Subject(s), Genre:Christmas, winter holiday
Language:French
Listed Voicing:SSA
Voicing Details:SSA, w/ small divisi and solo or small group
Ranges:S1: F#4-F#5
S2: C#4-C#5A: A3-B4
Accompaniment:a cappella
Duration:~2:15
Tempo:Gently
Publisher:earthsongs C-09
Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:

http://earthsongschoralmusic.com/index.php?main_page=product_sheet_music_info&cPath=1_8_5&products_id=1982

http://earthsongschoralmusic.com/media/mp3s/jro.sommeilt1.mp3

http://earthsongschoralmusic.com/media/pdf/jro.le.sommeil.pdf

Until next week!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts

Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.
Email:
Bio:     https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

One from the Folder: Weekly Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

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Week 18: Friday, July 20, 2018

“Alleluia, Rejoice” arr. J. Edmund Hughes
Chant and liturgical antiphon
SA, handbells (or hand chimes or piano) 

This arrangement by J. Edmund Hughes combines two separate holiday melodies – O Come O Come Emmanuel and Hodie Christus natus est – into one beautiful selection. The two melody lines dovetail with each other, but do not interweave in a contrapuntal fashion. They co-exist but are not sung simultaneously. It is as if each song occurs in the breathing space of the other, combining with the handbells to form a lovely aural landscape.

“O Come O Come Emmanuel” is in d minor, while “Hodie Christus natus est” centers around the relative F major. In keeping with the tradition of chant, there are no meter signatures or barlines. The rhythms are text driven (written here in quarter and eighth notes). Both melody lines stay within an octave or a ninth, so there are no concerns regarding tessitura or range. The only harmony within each line is the occasional open-fifth interval. If you are looking to reinforce relative major/minor keys or minor-key solfege (la-based minor is perfect here!), this setting has all the perfect teaching moments. It is also a great way to introduce the unmetered free-rhythm concepts of chant, and to share the background of both these significant historical melodies.

The separate-but-at-the-same-time nature of the work means you can flexibly program this as one choir singing in two parts, or two separate choirs performing together. When I last conducted this piece, my beginning choir sang the more-familiar Veni Emmanuel and my intermediate choir sang the less-familiar Hodie Christus natus est. This allowed me to rehearse a mostly-unison line with each group in their own rehearsals, using teaching techniques suited to each ensemble’s skill level, and then put the song together closer to performance.

The piece would also be a great choice for an intermediate group looking for a first foray into two-parts, or for an advanced group as a ‘quick read.’ As the lines don’t move at the same time, there is less distraction when trying to hold a part. Additionally, the conductor can be there for each group to supportively bring in every entrance.

Another interesting aspect to this piece is the accompaniment. Handbells (or handchimes) play D & A in octaves, at the start of each new phrase. This open chord sets the tonality for the work, and helps keep the singers in pitch, but does not distract from the beautiful melodies. Logistically, the ringers can be members of the singing ensemble, or could be individuals borrowed from another ensemble on the same concert. If you do not have access to handbells or handchimes, the pitches can be played on the piano, one octave higher and lower.

There is one aleatoric section of the piece, in which the opening motive from each melody is repeated for 30-40 seconds. Singers can vary the tempo and entrance time. Bells ring the same pitches as always, but freely and at random. The moment that is created by this compositional design is quite moving.

Finally, this arrangement is a wonderful opportunity to explore sound and space with your ensembles. The nature of the piece (two-songs co-existing in each other’s exhale, as opposed to two songs happening simultaneously) lends itself to a variety of visual and aural performance options: opposite sides of the risers, right and left sides of the stage, a processional with entrances from multiple doors, back of hall vs. stage, and more.

In one performance of this work in our university chapel, one choir was spread out in the front of the performance space, while the other choir was in the back of the chapel in the second-floor choir loft; the melodies met in the middle. The handbells can be spread across all performers (and can be duplicated in multiple octaves), which supports healthy intonation in a large space. Additionally, an advanced group could likely perform this selection with each singer spaced individually throughout the stage and audience, creating an entirely different series of soundscape possibilities.

The teaching moments and performance possibilities for this piece are many. With different ways to divide or combine your choirs, and multiple options for utilizing your performance space, this selection is a great fit for beginner, intermediate, and advanced groups alike. If you are programming for your holiday concert and are looking for a fresh take on a familiar tune, Hughes’ arrangement will not disappoint.  

Title:Alleluia, Rejoice
Source:chant (Veni Emmanuel)
and antiphon (Hodie Christus natus est)
Arranger:arr. J. Edmund Hughes
(https://sbmp.com/ComposerPage.php?ComposerNum=87)
Date of Arrangement:2013
Subject(s), Genre:Christmas, winter holiday
Language:English & Latin
Listed Voicing:SA
Voicing Details:SA, w/ very minimal open-fifth divisi
Ranges:S: C4-D5
A: C4-C5
Accompaniment:Hand bells (or hand chimes or piano)
Duration:~3:45
Tempo:Freely
Dedication:Northern Arizona University Women’s Chorale;
Ryan Holder, conductor
Series:Edith Copley Choral Series
Publisher:Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 1093
Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:

https://sbmp.com/SR2.php?CatalogNumber=1093

Until next week!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts

Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.
Email:
Bio:     https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

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