The Walking Shadows

The Walking Shadows, a choral work dealing with an important (but often forgotten) aspect of the First World War. The debilitating and tragic consequences of mental breakdown on soldiers and their families. In a format which offers a compelling narrative commented on by sometimes unsettling new settings of First World War songs, we follow the fate of Eddie - first reluctant hero, then a tragic victim. It is a story of four people in a landscape of war with a libretto by the Irish poet, Aoife Mannix.

Walking in a Garden

Walking Me To Work

Death : for Mezzo Soprano and Piano

Death av Tyshawn Sorey beställdes av L. A. Opera för en streamingpremiär av mezzosopranen Amanda Lynn Bottoms i februari 2021, med pianisten Howard Watkins. Dess text, av den store svarta poeten Paul Laurence Dunbar, föreställer sig bara en glimt av ljus som går upp över ett dystert, mardrömslikt landskap, hemsökt av döden, som kompositören uttryckligen kopplar till "de nuvarande förhållandena och osäkerheten i det svarta livet i Amerika under den 20:e och 2000-talet". (Dunbar själv dog 1906 vid 33 års ålder). Denna långsamma och melankoliska inställning utökar dikten till en femminuters klagan. Detta piano-/sångpartitur innehåller hela diktens text samt en kort programanteckning från kompositören. För att förtydliga de rasmässiga sammanhangen kring stycket, begär Sorey att rollerna som både sångare och pianist uteslutande ska spelas av svarta amerikanska artister.

A Prayer

British composer Ken Burton uses the writing of Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 1906), the black American son of emancipated slaves, in his 3-minute work A Prayer. The text of the three verses is bitter-sweet, filled with hope andsadness, and the music combines with this to make a rhythmically simple reflective evening hymn. Burton draws on Spiritual, Gospel and Blues to write a piece for SATB with divisi that will be a popular piece both to sing and tohear. New commission from The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers and premiered in their inaugural concert as part of the online LIVE from London Spring Festival 2021. Follows Descend to Earth, VOCES8’s own commission of Ken Burton inthe LIVE from London Christmas Festival 2020. UK-based Ken Burton is known for his work on UK television programmes, particularly in BBC TV’s Songs of Praise. Burton was choirmaster for the multi Oscar winning and Grammywinning Marvel film Black Panther.

Earthrise : Version for accompanied SATB Choir

A choral work inspired by the photograph of the same name taken from lunar orbit in 1968, considering the positive and negative sides of the human race's mastery and control of the world. The work was commissioned by the UK choir Ex Cathedra for its 40th anniversary, which fell in the same year (1969) as the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing. It was written for 40-part choir, on the model of Thomas Tallis's famous Spem in alium.

Concerto In D Minor BWV 596 - After Vivaldi

The Concerto In D minor, was written by Bach between 1713 and 1714, while he served as the court Organist in Weimar. The Concerto In D minor, comprising of fourmovements, is very different than the other two Vivaldi transcriptions by Bach. This Product is included in the 2018-2021 ABRSM Organ syllabus (Grade 8).

Jesus Christus herrscht als König

Jesus Christus herrscht als König (Jesus Christ reigns as a King) is a six-part a cappella motet compose for the Leipzig female sextet Sjaella. It combines an intimate prayer with jubilant praise, while each verse explores a different sound and rhythm. It was premiered at the Frauenkirche Dresden in May 2017, and has been performed many times, to great acclaim, since.

The Only

The Only was written, as a conscious departure from intricate polyphonic part-writing, by a composer to whose thinking counterpoint is usually more central. This piece seeks to emulate the kind of easy lyricism which is such a fingerprint of JohnRutters music, while preserving a slightly more austere, even archaic harmonic language. The rhythmic patterning of the accompanying piano part suggests a more popular idiom, and makes the carol suitable for use outside the confines of a churchservice.

The Flower

Early in 2007, while staying at the Old Rectory in Bemerton, I set four verses of George Herbert’s poem The Flower at the suggestion of Canon Judy Rees of the George Herbert in Bemerton Group, who had invited a number of composers to make new settings of Herbert’s poetry as hymns for congregational use. I subsequently re-worked this simple hymn-tune into the present more elaborate version as a short anthem for unaccompanied choir, especially for Ex Cathedra and Jeffrey Skidmore. This version is for upper voices (SSA).

Ubi Caritas II: Through Infinite Ages

“Ubi Caritas II: Through Infinite Ages is a closely related sequel to my Ubi Caritas published in 2007. Re-imagining some of the same material, such as the main theme from the first piece, Ubi CaritasII is in one sense a more sunny version of its prequel. While Ubi Caritas II functions as an independent work, it is also intended to be used in combination with the other piece, for example as prelude/postlude‘bookends’, perhaps yielding a sense of unity and conclusion to the concert or recording. In those cases, I would usually recommend ending with Ubi Caritas II.” Ola GjeiloWatch here - CWU Chamber Choir: Gjeilo-Ubi Caritas II: Through Infinite Ages:

French Suites : French Overture BWV 831

This new edition of Bach’s French Suites (BWV 812–817) pairs these works with the large-scale French Overture in B minor (BWV 831) from the second part of the Clavier-Übung. It brings together on the one hand six essentially small-format keyboard suites of moderate difficulty and on the other the most extensive and substantial of Bach’s sets of suites. The player is provided with as clear and comprehensible a score as possible, and makes it easier to approach the work, while those of an academic bent can refer to the Editorial Report for a documentation of sources, editorial additions and ornaments of a comprehensiveness otherwise found only in critical complete editions.

The Flower

Alec Roth's The Flower for SATB choir and Tenor/Baritone solo a cappella. 'Early in 2007, while staying at the Old Rectory in Bemerton, I set four verses of George Herbert’s poem‘The Flower’ at the suggestion of Canon Judy Rees of the George Herbert in Bemerton Group, who had invited a number of composers to make new settings of Herbert’s poetry as hymns for congregational use. Isubsequently re-worked this simple hymn-tune into the present more elaborate version as a short anthem for unaccompanied choir.' - Alec Roth First performance on 20 November 2011 at Birmingham TownHallgiven by Ex Cathedra, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore. The Flower is recorded by Ex Cathedra, directed by Jeffrey Skidmore, on the CD Shared Ground (Signum Classics SIGCD270).

Alwyn and Carwithen: Piano Works

Doreen Carwithen and her husband William Alwyn were two of the most versatile composers working in Britain in the mid- to late-20th century. Between them they scored more than 100 films, as well as music for the concert hall, including the scores for Odd Man Out (Alwyn) and Boys in Brown (Carwithen). Daniel Grimwood's recording is a wonderful introduction to the couple's extensive catalogues of piano music, containing Carwithen's taut, neoclassical Sonatina and Alwyn's 12 Preludes and Grieg-inspired Fantasy Waltzes. This is warm, lyrical music which quietly pushes boundaries while always attractive and well-written for the instrument. This is Daniel Grimwood's thirdrelease for Edition Peters Sounds following highly-acclaimed recordings of piano music by Fauré and Henselt.

Liszt: Années de pèlerinage : Deuxième année - Italie (S161) / Venezia e Napoli (S162)

While the first volume of Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage (‘Pilgrim Years’) was inspired primarily by the landscape of Switzerland, the creative impetus for the second volume was the art and literature of Italy. Edition Peters is proud to continue its acclaimed series of Liszt critical editions from world-renowned Liszt expert and concert pianist Leslie Howard with this new urtext edition of Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième Année – Italie. Containing an extensive critical commentary and introductory notes, the edition (like its predecessor Suisse (EP72782)) also contains reproductions of the half-tint illustrations by Robert Kretschmer that appeared in the first edition. Also included in this prestige volume, a must-have for any serious Liszt pianist, is the supplementary volume Venezia e Napoli, beautiful and ingenious revisions of earlier works based on Italian street music.

Hands Across the Darkness

This work was commissioned by the Hanover Girls’ Choir in 2014, a year marking not only the centenary of the Great War (1914–1918) but also the 300th anniversary of the Hanoverian Succession to the throne of Englandupon the death of Queen Anne in 1714. While the latter circumstance prompted a desire for a work reflecting upon friendship and unity, faint but abiding resonances of the former suggested that the theme might be viewed in moreuniversal terms, especially since the music was commissioned with a view to collaborative harmony between distinguished German and English performers. It was with this in mind that Charles Bennett provided his libretto whichgoingyet further afield, listens to the still, small voice of peace and humanity as it insistently reaches us from the oppressed of any time and place.

The Lost Words : for Upper Voices and Orchestra

The Lost Words by composer James Burton takes its inspiration and text from the award-winning ‘cultural phenomenon’ and book of the same name by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris: a book that was, in turn, a creative response to the removal of everyday nature words like acorn, newt and otter from a new edition of a widely used children’s dictionary. Both the book and Burton’s 32-minute work, which is written in 12 short movements for upper-voice choir in up to 3 voice parts (with either orchestral or piano accompaniment), celebrates each lost word with a beautiful poem or ‘spell’, magically brought to life in Burton’s music. At its heart, the work delivers a powerful message about the need to close the gap between childhood and the natural world. Burton’s piece was co-commissioned by the Hallé Concerts Society for the Hallé Children’s Choir and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The piano accompaniment version was premiered at the Tanglewood Festival in 2019 by the Boston Symphony Children’s Choir, of which Burton is founder and director. The Hallé Children’s Choir will premiere the orchestral version of the full work in Manchester, UK, post-pandemic.

Klarinettenkonzert Nr.3 - Clarinet Concerto no. 3 : in B-Dur / Bb Major

German composer Carl Stamitz wrote more than 60 concertos for Violin, Viola, Viola d'amore, Cello, Clarinet, Basset Horn, Flute, Bassoon and other instruments. Some of the Clarinet and Viola concertos thatStamitz composed are considered to be among the finest available from the period. Stylistically, Stamitz's music is not too far removed from the works of the young Mozart, or those of Haydn's middleperiod. The Clarinet Concerto No. 3 was likely written around 1785, which was the same year that Stamitz was appointed the lead Violin of the Duc de Noailles in Paris. The style ofthisconcerto reflects the usual orchestration found in the mid-eighteenth century, where most of the important musical material was given to the strings, while the winds were left to fill in the harmony. Carl Stamitz'sstyle is pleasant and free-flowing as nicely illustrated in this concerto.

Elijah (Elias) Opus 70

Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah caused a sensation at its world première performance, sung in English, in Birmingham UK in August 1846. The huge forces marshalled for the occasion delighted the audience, who demanded no fewer than eight encores and loudly acclaimed the composer despite an injunction to observe the solemnity of the occasion by refraining from applause. Elijah has been an essential repertoire work for choral societies ever since. Published on the 175th anniversary of that famous premiere, Edition Peters is proud to present a new English-language Urtext edition of the vocal score containing the original libretto by William Bartholomew. Edited and with a preface by the highly respected musicologist Klaus Burmeister, the edition also includes a foreword ‘Mendelssohn and Birmingham’ by Simon Halsey, one of the world’s foremost choral directors (Chorus Director City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Choruses; Artistic Director, Orfeó Català Choirs and Artistic Adviser, Palau de la Música, Barcelona; Choral Director, London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Artistic Director, Berliner Philharmoniker ‘Vokalhelden’ Programme). The edition complements and is designed to be used in conjunction with the existing German/English full score (EP11345) and orchestral parts. An associated German language vocal score is also available (EP11347). Edition Peters Vocal Scores are the choice of the world’s leading choirs and chorus masters. They are practical, reliable, high-quality editions containing expert piano reductions.

Ukrainian Love Songs Op. 5

Iwan Knorr’s Ukrainian Love Songs Op. 5 for four voices and piano have the same flexible choral or one-per-part scoring as the Liebeslieder Waltzes Op. 65 by Johannes Brahms, to which they compare also in terms of compositional quality. Inspired by the Ukrainian Cossack tradition, Knorr’s cycle of nine settings combines lyrically romantic vocal writing with spirited virtuoso piano accompaniments. The poems tell stories of impassioned love, heroic warriors and the anxious wait for their safe return. Iwan Knorr (1853–1916) was a composer and music teacher. Born in West Prussia, he grew up in Russia, Riga and Leipzig and studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire. While workingas a teacher in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, he established contact with Johannes Brahms, who became his mentor and advocate. Later, Knorr was a colleague of Clara Schumann on the staff of the Hoch Conservatoire in Frankfurt. Throughout his life, he sought to strengthen musical ties between the cultures of Central and Eastern Europe. •Suitable for choirs of any size or solo vocal quartet •First modern edition, based on the first print of 1890 •Preface by Jochen Stankewitz, a leading German choral director, teacher and workshop leader • Performance lyrics in German and English Iwan Knorr’s Ukrainian Love Songs Op. 5 for four voices and piano have the same flexible choral or one-per-part scoring as the Liebeslieder Waltzes Op. 65 by Johannes Brahms, to which they compare also in terms of compositional quality. Inspired by the Ukrainian Cossack tradition, Knorr’s cycle of nine settings combines lyrically romantic vocal writing with spirited virtuoso piano accompaniments. The poems tell stories of impassioned love, heroic warriors and the anxious wait for their safe return. Iwan Knorr (1853–1916) was a composer and music teacher. Born in West Prussia, he grew up in Russia, Riga and Leipzig and studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire. While workingas a teacher in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, he established contact with Johannes Brahms, who became his mentor and advocate. Later, Knorr was a colleague of Clara Schumann on the staff of the Hoch Conservatoire in Frankfurt. Throughout his life, he sought to strengthen musical ties between the cultures of Central and Eastern Europe. •Suitable for choirs of any size or solo vocal quartet •First modern edition, based on the first print of 1890 •Preface by Jochen Stankewitz, a leading German choral director, teacher and workshop leader • Performance lyrics in German and English

Jubilate Deo

This setting was commissioned early in 2023 for the Choir of the Chapels Royal, H.M. Tower of London, as part of a service celebrating the Coronation of H.M. King Charles III. It was first performed by the Choir of the Chapels Royal conducted by its Director of Music, Colm Carey, with Christian Wilson, organist. On the day following the Coronation, the filmed service was broadcast online throughout the Commonwealth. My brief was to create something which, while outgoing and energetic, could be prepared by a professional choir in relatively short rehearsal time, therefore lending itself to regular subsequent performance at Matins services. The music offsets its simple 3/4 time signature with intermittent dancing cross-rhythms in 6/8. In the interests of brevity, most of it is chorally homophonic, moving verbally and rhythmically in lockstep and only occasionally diversifying into brief flurries of imitative counterpoint. I was, however, encouraged by Colm Carey to write with an organist of international virtuoso standing in mind. The result represents the best accommodation I could make between Christian Wilsonʼs brilliance and that aforementioned hope of regular performances. Francis Pott, 2024

Canon D

While Pachelbel has been most admired as a composer of organ works and Lutheran church music, his Canon in D has long been one of his most celebrated compositions. It combines two time-honored compositional devices. The firstof these is of course the canon, a procedure whereby a melody in one part is strictly imitated by one or more other parts; a round (such as, for example, Frère Jacques) is a type of canon. The second device involves a shortbass line (refeered to as a ground bass) that is repeated constandly, over which the composer writes continuous variations. In its original form, the work consists of an initial statement of an eight note ground bass, followedby27 variations in strict canonic style for three violins above that bass. In addition to these four essential parts, an appropriate harmonic background would have been improvised on harpsichord, lute or organ. In thepresent arrangement, Pachelbel's note values have been doubled for greater ease of reading, and the work's canonic structure has been somewhat modified in order to make it more readily playable by violinists and pianists at anintermediate level. Since dynamics, bowing indications, articulations, and slurs were not customarily provided by composer of the Baroque era, the arranger and the editor have added them here, as well as a metronome indication anda few cadential trills. Obviously these editorial additions should be regarded only as suggestions.

Oboe Quartet in F K.370 : arranged for Oboe and Piano

The Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370/368b, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in early 1781. The quartet, originally arranged for oboe, violin, viola and cello is presented in this edition for Oboe with Pianoaccompaniment. In 1780, Mozart was invited to Munich to visit Elector Karl Theodor, who had commissioned the opera Idomeneo for a carnival celebration. While in Munich, Mozart renewed an acquaintance with Friedrich Ramm, avirtuoso oboist in the Munich orchestra. It was for Ramm that Mozart composed the quartet in order to show off his virtuosity and the improvements that had been made to the oboe at that time. One way that this piece showed offtheinstrument was the use of the 'high F' above the staff, a note rarely played in any repertoire previously written for the oboe. This piece is a work of chamber music, but it has elements that harken to other musicalgenres, and requires a fair amount of virtuosity. Because of its large amount of virtuosic playing on the part of the oboe and the large degree to which the strings simply accompany the oboist, it almost resembles a concerto, butwith only with four players instead of an entire orchestra. Despite this, there are also a number of places within the work that require ensemble playing, for example, the famous 13-bar passage in the finale in which the oboeplays in common time against a 6/8 accompaniment.

24 Preludes And Fugues Op.87 - Book 1

Just back from a trip to Leipzig in the early autumn of 1950 where he heard Bach's Well-Tempered Klavier at the Bicentennial Bach Competition played by the Russian pianist Tatiana Nikolaeva, Shostakovich began his own series of24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87, based on Bach's model. He composed them quickly, starting on October 10, 1950, and finishing on February 23, 1951. While his work would pay homage to Bach, Shostakovich's work would have severalfundamental differences. First, the order of the individual pieces would be organized around the circle of fifths with a prelude and fugue in the relative minor following each major key piece rather than in ascendingsemi-tonalorder of Bach's work. Second, Shostakovich's pieces would be composed in order — that is, C major - A minor followed by G major - E minor followed by D major - B minor — and, more significantly, this orderwould have a sort of subliminal narrative sub-text, taking the music from the 'innocent' tonal world of the C major Prelude and Fugue to the profound and sublime severity of the concluding D minor Prelude and Fugue. Finally,Shostakovich's work, although conservative in its counterpoint and harmony — that is, there are no examples of invertible or reversible themes or counterpoint and the pieces are for the most part recognizably tonal inlanguage — is still clearly the work of a modernist composer; his counterpoint and harmony may be conservative but the emotional and spiritual worlds of the preludes and fugues is at once sincere and ironic. The result is awork which can not only stand comparison with Bach's Well-Tempered Klavier, it is both Shostakovich's masterpiece for the piano and one of the contrapuntal masterpieces of the twentieth century. Volume 1 comprises numbers1-12.