So I’m sitting at the Grand Rapids Marywood Dominican Center. They have renovated this place since I was here, but you can still see a lot of the old building pictured above. Eileen is taking her first Alexander Technique lesson and I’m very happy that they have an unsecured wi fi connection here. Yes.
I got up early this morning and spent several hours putting a Brahms choral piece into finale.
The piece is a lovely setting of the text “Adoramus Te” for four women’s voices (SSAA). [link to Choral Wiki page with several sheet music versions available]
Whenever I adapt a piece of music, I have a tendency to enter it first entirely in its original form. Which is what took up so much of my time this morning.
So after I had done that, I began to think about how to adapt it for mixed voices (SATB). This actually didn’t take very long once I had the basic piece inputted.
Yesterday I had a conference with my priest in which I suggested that I would choose two anthems for every service in Holy Week: one easy one to use with combined Adults and Youth and one a bit harder for just the Chamber Choir. She readily agreed to this.
After the conference I spent some time going through music that would fit the various services. Here’s what I came up with. (Fascinating, I know)
Palm Sunday
Jenkins Hosanna with hand chimes
Ah Holy Jesus arr. by Barbara Wallace – Chamber & Youth choirs combinedIn Manus Tuas by John Shepherd – Chamber Choir
4/1/10 Maundy Thurs –Holy Thursday
V 78 Lord God, revealed in gifts of bread and wine – Chamber & Youth choirs combined
Ubi Caritas by Durufle – Chamber Choir possible with some Youth Choir singers
4/2/10 Good Friday
Crown of Thorns, Crown of Glory arr. by Mark Schweitzer -Chamber & Youth choirs combined
Adoramus Te by Brahms -Chamber Choir
4/4/10 Easter Both services:
Alleluia, Christ is Risen arr. by James Kirby – Chamber & Youth choirs combined
Christ is now risen again by Alan J. Wilson – Chamber Choir
So that’s what I’ve decided. The last anthem seems to be out of print. Sheesh. I will try to get legal copies. I think maybe it was published in the UK in the 70s. Probably not available in the U.S.
Nice memorial page for Gail Walton here: [link]