New Church Anthems for Spring Wednesday, February 01, 2012
It may still be cold and snowy outside, but it’s certainly not too early to be planning your choral anthems for this spring! Stanton’s Sacred Choral Music staff has carefully chosen these pieces to be appropriate for a variety of worship styles and services throughout the coming months.
For the Lenten season, Who Is That Man? conveys the drama of Jesus’ betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane with reverent simplicity. Evocative harmonic colors and an optional C-instrument obbligato illustrate a powerful text that asks the question: “Why must He suffer there and die all alone?” Smaller choirs will excel with the new 2-part mixed voicing of Lloyd Larson’s top-seller When You Prayed Beneath the Trees, which is especially meaningful during the days of Holy Week.
The joyous spirit of Let the People Sing Hosanna!, with its catchy and repetitive harmonies and rhythms, will easily fill worshippers with the spirit of “hosanna” on Palm Sunday. A creative choice for a processional, it features a percussion accompaniment that is extremely accessible. Youth or adult choirs will enjoy proclaiming the arrival of Jesus with this instant favorite.
“On that great, great mornin’, Jesus is alive!” Filled with the spirited triumph of Easter morning, On That Great, Great Mornin’, an a cappella original from Mary McDonald, features close vocal harmonies, regular syncopation, and fun-to-sing passages of call and response. An optional solo offers the opportunity to showcase one of your singers and drives the piece to a rousing and celebratory conclusion. For a Baroque flavor on Easter morning, Christ Is Risen! Alleluia! incorporates the famous Handel chorus from “Judas Maccabeus.” Opening with a thrilling choral fanfare and followed by a strong homophonic section and an enjoyable fugue, this is sure to become an Easter standard!
For other Sundays this spring, try Mary McDonald’s This Is My Father’s World, which incorporates a rich choral treatment and rhapsodic piano accompaniment to create a truly fresh arrangement. Options for congregational participation, handbells, and a C-instrument obbligato all enhance this worshipful selection that is perfect for use throughout the year. Other wonderful choices include Come into God’s Embrace (a compassionate communion anthem), O Magnify the Lord (majestically combined with “All Creatures of Our God and King”), and There Is a Redeemer (featuring a dramatic conclusion and lovely vocal textures).
Did you miss out on our Sacred Choral Music Reading Session? Never fear! If you’re interested in receiving a packet from this year’s clinic (featuring these and many more selections for spring worship), please contact us! You can also click here to view our entire Sacred Choral promotion for Spring 2012.