EASY(ish) English-language polyphony (and other sacred choral)
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,480
    As a follow on to the recent post regarding polyphony for the developing choir...

    What do you got in English?

    Of particular help:
    -Not "If Ye Love Me" (we already know that one)
    -Preferably, English that still makes sense
    -Three part (SAB, or adaptable to such) is super helpful.

    Also- Easy. Please.
    My choir consists of 6 pensioners and my wife.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    With a little bit of work, most 3-part motets can be adapated to Soprano-Alto-Baritone. You have had to adjust the pitch.

    If you can get 4-parts, George Ousley wrote a piece called "From the Rising of the Sun" which is not terribly difficult.

    You might also look at Franz Xaver Witt's "Ad Te Levavi", I know that it is Latin, but is it also quite easy, largely homophonic rather that polyphonic, and very lovely.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,480
    Thanks!


    I will look at the Witt, but I largely know where to find as many easy Latin pieces as I'm likely able to get away with. We have a few people who complain a little too much when the choir sings in Latin, and since it's an Episcopal parish, I don't have any bearing to say that we should sing in Latin any more than we do. I manage 3-4 times a year, and more than that is probably pushing it.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    Google "small choirs UK"

    There's a huge trove of easy SATB & SAB music, though they are on separate pages.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I think some Tye is mostly homophonic. And there are the hymns by Gibbons, Byrd, etc - in fact you can just put in your own texts!
    Thanked by 2tomboysuze M. Jackson Osborn
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I'm also an advocate of shape-note hymns as anthems. Sometimes choirs can find them difficult, but you'll never know until you try.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Samuel Wesley's "Lead Me Lord", in the CPDL is quite easy.

    http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/wes-lead.pdf

    It only came up yesterday in my own choir, filled with many beginners and we managed to get the gist of it within 10 minutes. We'll polish it up for next week's mass.

    We're doing it slightly differently. Where it says "Alto Solo" we've got all the ladies singing the first time around, and all the men singing the second time around. Appeals to the whole "where two are more are gathered in my name" by having upper and lower voices singing different sections and then all in harmony.
    Thanked by 2Choirparts canadash
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    My own setting of the John Brownlie communion hymn text Let thy Blood in mercy poured has been used in a number of churches, both Catholic and Anglican. It is composed as a four stanza hymn with descant on the final stanza, but it can (and is) sung in many different ways, often as a communion motet.
    Thanked by 1teachermom24
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    Resurrecting. Latin was expressly forbidden in my Parish recently and now I'm scrambling to keep up the progress the choir has made with polyphony. I'm particularly interested in Lenten texts.
    However, I am mainly interested in two-part SA pieces or pieces that could be sung SA without the TB parts, with or without organ accompaniment. I can usually count on 1-2 sopranos, 1 alto, and two men that usually sing the soprano part (or melody) in their octave.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Giffen's setting that he mentioned in 2012 is good, and I have used it. As a last resort, you could sing the parts you can sing and let the organ accompaniment cover for the parts without voices. Think of it as a serpent filling in missing parts.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    Here's an edition I did of Batten's "Lord, We Beseech Thee," which we sang with my children's choir handling the soprano line (so it's definitely learnable!). You could probably get away with using it outside of Advent.

    And there are other short SATB Tallis pieces. If "If ye love me" suits, visit CPDL for similar items.
    LordWeBeseechThee_SATB_Batten.pdf
    98K
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    Do you have the 'Oxford Easy Anthem Book'? It is a trove of good to passable repertory for the liturgical year. A good place to start with a choir such as yours. (It's really quite odd [droll, even] that your people balk at Latin: most Episcopal choirs think that singing the Latin repertory is a Very Good Thing, even a responsibility as well as a pleasure, not to mention a feather in their hat).

    Then, there is Oxford's 'A Sixteenth Century Anthem Book'. It contains some hard stuff, but also has some easy stuff. This book is a staple for foundational polyphony-homophony.

    Then, there are Lassus' wonderful dozen motets for two equal voices. Though they are Latin (wonderful texts from Wisdom and old breviaries), you might find them useful.

    Then, what Episcopal choir wouldn't be pleased to sing Titcomb? A number of very easy anthems in English; plus a few unison anthems (by Titcomb or Thiman [I don't remember which off hand]) such as settings of Benedictus es Domine (in English).

    Don't be ashamed to sing hymns as anthems. A number of hymns are very well suited to do duty as anthems. You can even do organ interludes modulating to different keys for some stanzas, or contrast unison and parts by stanza or by line, etc. Too, many hymns will work in canon. Then, in the back of The Hymnal 1982 there are a number of canons that you could make anthems of. You can make anthems of psalms by singing Gregorian tones and Anglican chant in alternation; or singing a metrical psalm hymn in alternation with verses sung to Gregorian tones in alternation. Or, any (tasteful!) combination of any or all the above.

    Thanked by 1canadash
  • ChoirpartsChoirparts
    Posts: 147
    "Lead Me Lord" individual practice parts:

    soprano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR-0QMhsk3M

    alto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj8sSLLeUjc

    tenor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHVsNMRR28Y

    bass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWQVunkYMkQ
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    I have this in English. I think mine is also in a lower key. Very accessible. PM me if you would like a copy and I'll send one to you: http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/tollite.pdf

    Bach: Jesu Joy

    Stainer: God So Loved the World

    Mozart: To God Be Joyful

    Gibbons: Drop, Drop, slow tears
    http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/0/08/DROP.pdf (arr. by Jones)
    http://www.cantatedomino.org/cd/musicfiles/Drop Drop Slow Tears - arr Mather.pdf
    there is one in the Oxford Easy Anthem Book (OEA) which is good

    Tye: O Come, Ye Servants:
    http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/tye-oco1.pdf

    Wesley: Lead Me Lord
    http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/6/64/Wesley-lead_me_lord.pdf

    From the Oxford Easy Anthem Book: Brother James' Air (Bain; arr. by Bullard)

    Howells: "My Eyes for Beauty Pine" (if anyone can explain this poetry to me I'd be most grateful)

    Vaugh Williams: O Taste and See

    Rutter: "The Peace of God"
    (not in OEA) "Look at the World"

    Bevan: "There's a Wideness in God's Mercy"

    Purcell: "Thou Knowest, Lord"

    Halls: "Wash Me Throughly"


    We sing these often. They are mostly homophonic or simple polyphony. Hope this helps.

  • HeitorCaballero
    Posts: 92
    I recommend St. James Music Press. The subscription is costly, but they have several adaptations a 3 of motets in English.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    Thanks everyone! I can't wait to start digging into these options!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    Another source of easy anthems is the genre of 'hymn anthems', many of which are to be found in the oeuvres of British composers, some Americans, and especially Healey Willan, who churned out quite a few of these to satiate his publisher's thirst for easy and recognisable repertory. The 'Oxford Easy Anthem Book' has a number of these, notably for Easter, etc., and many others can be found in the catalogues of H.W. Gray (cum Belwin Mills, cum ?), Oxford, Novello, Concordia, et al. These anthems, all based on hymn tunes, consist typically of unison sections, very easy harmony sections, modified canon, sections for S or A or T or B, etc. Organ accompaniments vary from very easy to moderate.

    Canadash asked about 'Mine eyes for beauty pine' - what is expressed in this poem by Robert Bridges is the soul's craving for the splendours of heaven and the unmitigated love of God, as well as for the company of those in whose eyes is mirrored the fire of that love.
    Thanked by 3bkenney27 canadash Heath
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    MJO, are pieces like this typically published in collections or as single-song octavos? Any more recommendations of collections?
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    Many are found in collections such as the OEAB mentioned by several above, as well as as single octavos.
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    Hard to go wrong with some of the easier Tudor anthems, though I'm not sure all the English "still makes sense":

    Almighty God, Who Hast Me Brought - Thomas Ford

    A New Commandment - William Mundy

    O Holy Spirit, Lord of Grace - Tye

    Thou Knowest. Lord - Thomas Morley

    Lord, I Trust Thee - Handel
    Thanked by 2canadash miacoyne
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    I started to use 'Short Anthems for Small Choirs ' by Kevin Mayhew. Quite good. 50 pieces, including Lead me, Hide not.. and just a few simple Lain ones such as Ave Maria, Ave verum, Adoramus te.

    www.kevinmayhew.com
    Thanked by 3CharlesW M. Jackson Osborn canadash
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