SATB

See also my page of introits (short choral works under a minute and a half).

A noisy gong or a clanging cymbal

A true hymne

Alleluia

Alleluia, Let us Rejoice

Arise, O God, and rule the earth

As a hart longs for flowing streams

Bait, The

Because I could not stop for Death (from Needham Psalter)

Blest is the Home

Blow the trumpet in Zion

Bring many names

Called by God

Duration: 2’15”
Instrumentation: SATB, congregation, piano, organ. Also TTBB, piano
Difficulty: Easy

Christ has no body now but yours

Duration: 50 seconds
Instrumentation: SATB choir a capella
Difficulty: Hard
Description: This choral benediction sets a text by St. Teresa of Avila. The texture is homophonic with some polyphonic relief. The work is a miniature continuous variation of the music of the opening phrase, modified on each repetition to fit the needs of the text:

Theme Christ has no body now on earth but yours;
Var 1 no feet but yours, no hands but yours;
Var 2 Yours are the eyes through which is to look out Var 3 Christ’s compassion to the world;
Var 4 Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good;
Var 5 Yours are the hands with which he is to bless now.

Christ the Lord is risen again (1974)

Come to me (from Songs of Prophecy)

Come, Let Us Gather

Duration: 1-2 minutes
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Medium
Description: This piece was written for a Global Mission Conference held in Worcester MA in November, 1993. The choir was composed of participants, who had a little over an hour’s rehearsal to learn this piece and other music for the service.

This piece works well as an introit, stopping halfway through, as well as a full-length anthem. It is in 6/8, with a simple two-measure harmonic pattern over a tonic pedalfor much of the work. It can even be turned into a two-voice piece with little difficulty. Choirs like it because, even though it is basically easy to learn, there is some interesting complexity as the various parts are fit together. A unison alleluia section acts as a climax point for each section of the piece:

Alleluia, allelu!
Heart, hand and voice, God, lifted to you!

Easter Alleluia: This is the Day

Eli, Eli

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker

Find Your Rest, Oh My Soul

Duration: 1’30”
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Medium
Description: As I was planning my spring 2006 anthem list for church, I had six introit slots unfilled in my first pass through the choral library. So I’m thinking that I’ll write a set of six–and what better day to begin than the first day of the year. The piano has a 3-measure ostinato, against which the choir sings. The sopranos have the lead, in the spirit of the cantor, answered by ATB chords. The text is based on portions of Psalm 63:5-12, which is one of the lectionary choices for the day I’m planning to present this introit. The writing is lyrical, and the piece is easy to moderate in difficulty. For a little more background on this piece, visit my January 1, 2006 post on my blog.

For No One

Friendship

Gifts of the Spirit, The

Gilead for Choir

Duration:
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Medium
Description: This is a choral realization of a textless movement for mezzo-soprano, cello and piano, which itself is based on an earlier variation for flute and piano.

Gloria

Great Soaring Spirit

Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord

Hear This: All you Peoples (from Needham Psalter)

Here with a loaf of bread

Holy, holy, holy

House of my Soul, The

I shall keep singing!

I Was Hungry

Duration: 2’30”
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Description: Based on Matthew 25:31-46, this work starts by having the sopranos and altos tell the story (I was hungry and you fed me…) while the tenors and basses emphasize the ending (So the King said to them: Come, enter in). After a brief interlude midway through the piece, all singers ask “when did we?” and finish with a flowing, mostly unison response to the question.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord

I will give thanks, O God

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live

If to be

Isaiah’s Call

Jesus Prayer

Duration: 1 minute
Instrumentation: S solo, SATB, keyboard
Difficulty: Easy
Description: Through-composed vocal solo over choral ostinato written by Jaques Berthier (Jesus, Remember Me)

Joy shall be ours

Let me tell you a story

Let us rejoice

Life is short

Lord is my Shepherd, The

Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing

Duration: 1’30”
Instrumentation: SATB, optional T solo or soli, piano
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Description: A choral benediction response . A choir favorite.

May the Words of my Mouth

Duration: 1’40”
Instrumentation: T solo, SATB a capella
Difficulty: Medium
Description: Inspired by African choral music, this short anthem requires a strong tenor soloist. Works well in blended worship. Medium difficulty.

Moved by faith

Music expresses

None other lamb

Now thank we all our God

Now the green blade riseth

O be joyful in the Lord

Only begotten, Word of God eternal

Our Church’s Wider Mission

Pictures from Breughel: From the Nativity

Pictures from Breughel: Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

Pictures from Breughel: Peasant Wedding

Pictures from Breughel: Self-portrait

Prepare ye the way

Psalm 111

Psalm 127

Psalm 131: My Heart is not lifted up

Psalm 139: O Lord, you have searched me

Psalm 23 (1973)

Psalm 23 (1989)

Psalm 63

Psalm for Good Friday, A

Redemption

Rejoice in the Lord always

Ressuscitou: Christ is risen

Shall I silent be?

Simple Gifts

Sing to the Lord

Song of Abandonment

Song of Promise, A

Song of Simeon

Standing in the Need of Prayer

Duration: 2’45”
Instrumentation: SATB a capella
Difficulty: Medium
Description: Upbeat arrangement of spiritual.

Storm is Passing Over, The

The cry of the poor

The Dawning

The heavens are telling

The Lord Your God is in Your Midst

Duration: 2 minutes
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Description: Based on Zephaniah 3:17 and 3:20. In ABA form, with the A section in a spirited 6/8 (lots of unison and simple chordal writing). The B section is in 4/4, with a richer texture. The closing A section brings us back to the opening material. The piece learns easily and works well in choirs where sections aren’t of equal strength.

Three Hymns of Faith

Though I May Speak

Duration: 2 minutes
Instrumentation: S solo, SATB a capella
Difficulty: Medium to hard
Description: A choral arrangement of the English folk tune O Waly Waly, setting the 1972 text by Hal Hopson paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 13 Medium difficulty; primarily homophonic; mixture of jazz and classical styling.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul

Trickle Drops

Water

Duration: 2’30”
Instrumentation: SATB, piano
Difficulty: Medium to hard
Description: This piece draws on Gospel, African and Western European traditions in setting the text by LOPC Associate Pastor Gail Doering

Water falls down like rain
and pours upon my soul
to soak the drought of faith…

When from bondage we are summoned

With my face turned

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