Par MARTIN MATTHEW. This powerful work takes a well-known hymn tune from the Mainz Gesangbuch of 1661 (Stabat Mater) as its musical starting point, interweaving it through different textures and variations alongside the plainsong solemn tone Salve Regina. The work, which was written specially for The Sixteen, is through-composed but divided into three sections: Silence, Love; Grief, Patience; Pass…

Theme from Songs of SanctuaryInstrument : mixed choir (SATB) and pianoType : choral scoreNombre de Pages : 12The music from the million-selling album, featured on the Delta Air Lines TV commercial. Adiemus combines classical and ethnic influences to create a haunting, tribal sound.Songs of Sanctuary is an extended choral-type work based on the European classical tradition, but where the vocal soun…

Carl Maria von Weber's fame rests mainly on ?Der Freischütz'. The unprecedented success of this opera overshadowed all his other works and contributed to their increasing fall into oblivion. Certain works such as ?Preciosa', ?Oberon', and ?Euryanthe', the overtures, solo concertos and piano sonatas, the lieder and chamber works enjoyed great popularity and were widely known in Germany and abroad a…

Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. Messiah occupies a unique position in Handel ’s work. Even if it does not represent the absolute zenith – several other oratorios could challenge it in this respect – its strongly universal character and directness of expression, which appeal to men of all creeds, make it the most renowned work in the whole of the composer’s monumental output. That this oratorio is unq…

In Nativitate Domini In Nocte. Par RYBA JAN JAKUB. The “Missa pastoralis in C”, published here for the first time, dates from about 1808. It belongs to a cycle of sacred pieces, a „Cursus sacro-harmonicus, “ which Ryba planned as Ordinarium and Proprium settings for all the Sundays and feast days of the church year. The “Missa pastoralis in C” is a pastoral Mass for the matutinal service at Christ…

Par SMITH PAUL. Written for SATB choir and piano, with optional audience participation, Pas de deux is a work consisting of five movements by Paul Smith, the co-founder of VOCES8 and author of The VOCES8 Method. The movements can be performed individually or as one complete work. Pas de deux is inspired by the dance duet found in ballet, and the music takes the duet element of the dance to create …

Par SAINT-SAENS CAMILLE. Far from being an isolated work in Camille Saint-Saens’ production, Le Retour de Virginie (Virginia’s Return) belongs to a small set written at the beginning of his career in the particular context of the competition for the Prix de Rome that was established in 1803 then cancelled following the events of May 1968. It had been for more than a century and a half, the most co…

Par SAINT-SAENS CAMILLE. Far from being an isolated work in Camille Saint-Saens’ production, Le Retour de Virginie (Virginia’s Return) belongs to a small set written at the beginning of his career in the particular context of the competition for the Prix de Rome that was established in 1803 then cancelled following the events of May 1968. It had been for more than a century and a half, the most co…

Par HAHN. Having been considered as a 'fashionable' and 'cliche' composer of his day, Hahn 's compositions are possibly not as well-known as they ought to be. Rondels for SATB choir and Piano however, shatter these prejudices held, representing the engaging diversity of the composer's music. Venezuelan born Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947) entered the Paris Conservatoire at 10 years old. He received a hi…