Compositions and arrangements of Heath Morber
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Greetings, all!

    I've been too lazy to build a website to share some of my compositions/arrangements, but I feel like *I* need a way to keep straight what I've done in the past two decades! So I'll put it all here primarily for my sake, but also as a benefit to others who are looking for some new rep.

    First off, my published items:

    Eight Liturgical Rounds (Canticanova) - https://www.canticanova.com/catalog/products/cnp5033.htm

    3 and 4-pt rounds for the major liturgical seasons as well as Marian feasts, funerals, and a Eucharistic one to boot. You can hear the Advent round here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXc7KAqjjG8

    The Wisdom of God (OCP) - https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/90954/the-wisdom-of-god

    I was smitten with a Byzantine text I had heard on a sacred music retreat and couldn't find a setting of it that I loved...so I wrote one! It's designed for the footwashing on Holy Thursday. You can hear a (fabulous!) recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGQltzxNj6A
    Thanked by 3hilluminar Paul F. Ford sdtalley3
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    My ongoing project is over at https://englishmotets.com/

    At this site I share my Latin to English adaptations of (mostly) Renaissance motets. 20 bucks for lifetime access, but I also share one page samples of everything that I have for non-subscribers and through my email list.
    Thanked by 1hilluminar
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Jesu Dulcis Memoria (score attached)

    (general usage, SAB (w/male split for "Amen"), alternatim w/chant, English verses)

    I composed this to be used as a "quick-hitter" (i.e. something that could be learned in about 20 minutes with a pick-up choir), though I quickly discovered it needs a little more prep than that. :) It would probably work well as an organ trio alternatively.

    JesuDulcisHM.pdf
    209K
    Thanked by 1Joseph Michael
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Kyrie, adapted from "Deutsche Messe": Schubert, arr. Heath Morber

    (Kyrie, SATB acap. or colla parte, Greek text)

    Basically, I took R. Proulx's adaptation (published through GIA) of Schubert's movement, compared it with the original, and then moved it up to E-flat major and slapped the Greek on to it. Simple, dignified, and a choir favorite (we do it for festive Masses w/strings and organ doubling the vocal parts).
    Kyrie--Schubert.pdf
    122K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Kyrie XVI, arr. Heath Morber

    (Kyrie, Chant w/descant and "subcant" (Did I coin this term? I've told everyone that I did . . . : ), Greek)

    I wrote this one for my top choir a number of years ago which we use for special occasions. The purists will hate it, but I think it works! : )
    Heath-Kyrie XVI.pdf
    119K
    Thanked by 1Joseph Michael
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    Your Holy Thursday piece is lovely!
    Thanked by 1Heath
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Be Wise

    (Antiphon, 3-pt canon, pentatonic, English)

    This one is really random; a Franciscan sister took her final vows many years ago, and I composed this antiphon which is called for after the homily and before the ritual for the vows begins. I planned for it to be sung unison by a single sex, then done as a brief canon (note: observe the fermatas, or it won't work! The two "Be"s should line up).

    It also works with the Gospel for 32 OT-A.
    Be Wise-Morber-half-sheets.pdf
    51K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Crux Fidelis arr. Heath Morber

    (Good Friday, SATB, acappella, English)

    Title's a bit misleading; the arrangement is actually the Pange lingua . . . proelium text in English set to PICARDY, with WONDROUS LOVE thrown in for good measure. This (like many of my arrangements!) was intended to be a "quick-hitter" (we have an ad hoc choir for Good Friday, with only one advance rehearsal).

    I was quite lazy when type-setting this and didn't include all the verbal instructions that I gave to my choir when I used this a number of years ago. And so:

    Vs. 1: Men
    Vs. 2: Women sing melody, men drone on "ooh" (final note of Vs. 1 turns into drone)
    Vs. 3: Men sing melody, women drone on "ooh" (finale note of Vs. 2 turns into drone)
    Vs. 4: Ladies sing canon, men drone
    Vs. 5: Men sing as written, ladies drone
    Vs. 6: Ladies sing PICARDY (top line), Men sing WONDROUS LOVE (bottom line)
    Vs. 7: SATB as written
    Vs. 8: Tutti, no drone, SATB at end
    Cruxfidelis.pdf
    419K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Away in a Manger arr. Heath Morber

    (English, TTBB, acappella)

    Whipped this up for a festival group of men a few years...and I used the best Away in a Manger melody, no question about it. :)
    AwayManger.pdf
    305K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    O Come and Mourn arr. Heath Morber

    SSA/TTB, English, Palm Sunday/Good Friday)

    I found Dr. Marier's arrangement of this in an old hymnal called "Cantus Populi", IIRC. Lovely piece, which I tweaked a bit . . . not sure I improved it, though. : ) I have a trio of ladies do it every year for Good Friday during the Veneration of the Cross.
    OComeAndMourn.pdf
    145K
    Thanked by 1hilluminar
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    (I promise the Lilypond scores start to improve at some point. :)
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Ave Verum Corpus arr. Heath Morber

    SAB, Latin, Eucharistic

    I believe I wrote this as another learn-in-20-minutes piece. Works well for a small ensemble.
    AveVerumHM.pdf
    134K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Gustate et Videte Heath Morber

    SB, English, organ/2 obbligato instruments, Eucharistic

    This is my ultimate "we have a pick-up choir with almost no rehearsal" piece. Two-parts, moderate ranges, lightly polyphonic, instruments double vocal parts, organ supplies the foundation for everything.

    (This was my very, very brief Finale era.)
    GustateHM.pdf
    180K
    GustateHM-Cello.pdf
    49K
    GustateHM-FullScore.pdf
    177K
    GustateHM-oboe.pdf
    47K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Turba Choruses for St. John's Gospel Heath Morber

    (ATB, Good Friday)

    I've used the Victoria and Byrd choruses, but found them just a little long and a little too tricky for the time I had to rehearse them with my singers. I wrote the attached a few years back and they've worked well for our sung Passion on Good Friday.


    My parameters when composing them:
    -Brief
    -Easily learned for semi-skilled singers (I work with college students with weird schedules; wanted to be able to prep these in 30 minutes or so)
    -Moderate ranges (high part could be S or A, middle part could be A or T, low part could be T or B)
    -Tied to tradition (few accidentals, running thread of that dominant cadence that characterizes the Renaissance composers’ settings)

    (Note: I also have an SAB version in my files...I'd like to tweak it a bit, but that may not happen anytime soon. PM me if you want to see what I have now.)


    PassionChorusesHM.pdf
    332K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Ave Regina Caelorum arr. Heath Morber

    (chant, 2-pt, AT)

    2-pt setting of the simple Ave Regina.
    Ave Regina Caelorum-AT-HM-Latin.pdf
    131K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Alma Redemptoris Mater arr. Heath Morber

    (chant, 2-pt, AT)

    2-pt setting of the simple Alma Redemptoris Mater.
    Alma Redmptoris Mater-Morber-AT.pdf
    163K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Christe Redemptor Omnium arr. Heath Morber

    (chant, 3-pt, Advent)

    I arranged this piece for a small Schola years ago. You can almost look at it as an early history of western music:

    vs. 1: chant
    vs. 2: chant w/drone (not notated, sorry...drone on C, until it moves to D on last note)
    vs. 3: canon
    vs. 4: parallel organum
    vs. 5: free organum
    vs. 6: fauxbourdon
    vs. 7: unison in octaves, though I seem to recall that we embellished it and the Amen somehow (shrug)

    Typesetting isn't perfect (I made a lot of notes on the score that I passed out), but it will work!

    Christe Redemptor.pdf
    307K
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    These are so nice, Heath! Lovely, simple things are so valuable these days when it seems like we're always working with limited rehearsal time, singers with modest abilities, or often both
    Thanked by 1Heath
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Lenten Gospel Acclamations, arr. Heath Morber, verse harm (Richard Rice, refrain harm)

    I'm attaching the Lenten Gospel Acclamation that my choir uses each year. I adapted the organ accompaniment from Richard Rice (in the St. Michael hymnal) for SATB harmonies, and the verse harmonization of the SEP tone is mine.

    I've also attached a couple special verses that I've used for Lent 2 (Transfiguration) and Lent 3-A (Woman at the Well). (Both could use some score cleanup, but not happening any time soon. :)

    Lenten Gospel Acclamation Verses.pdf
    207K
    Lenten GA-SATB-Lent 2.pdf
    87K
    GA Lent3.pdf
    85K
    Thanked by 1lmassery
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Advent Gospel Acclamation, arr. Heath Morber

    I love this Robert Twynham melody, so I reharmonized it and and paired it with my SEP harmonization for the verses.

    Advent GA verses.pdf
    182K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Easter Gospel Acclamations, arr. Heath Morber

    My harmonization of the O FILII Alleluia and an original verse tone.

    I'm also attaching a special SAB arrangement of the Easter Sunday GA verse. I usually have a small crew that morning (I work with college students, so many of them go home to be with family), so we often prep this arrangement that morning.
    Easter Gospel Acclamation-verses.pdf
    126K
    Easter Sunday Gospel Acclamation verse.pdf
    105K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    I Sing As I Arise Today Heath Morber

    I love this metrical excerpt from the Lorica of St. Patrick's so I set it for SATB choir.
    I Sing As I Arise-HM.pdf
    218K
    I Sing As I Arise-HM.mid
    3K
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Anima Christi, arr. Heath Morber

    A chant based on this text made the rounds on this forum several years ago and I loved it. The chant mostly had an AABBCC melodic structure, so I set up most of the arrangement like this:

    A: one voice sings the unadorned melody ending in a drone on the last note
    A': another voice part sings the A' melody while the other two parts add harmonic interest
    BB, etc.

    Anima Christi-HM.pdf
    234K
    Thanked by 1OMagnumMysterium
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