Oxford Choral Classics Wednesday, May 27, 2020
“Anthologising is one of life’s sweet pleasures, rather like throwing a party for your favourite friends. Imagine that, by a miracle of scheduling, there they all are in one room at one time, and as you circulate among them, you remember exactly why you wanted to be their friend in the first place… A party is private, an anthology public, but as host/editor, your hope is that others will enjoy your friends as much as you do. As a composer, I suppose I look upon my compositions as my children, but my anthology choices are my friends, and friends are important too.” – John Rutter
From Oxford University Press, explore the “Oxford Choral Classics” series with these valuable anthologies:
Sacred Choruses
This volume comprises 28 of the finest oratorio choruses, complete short choral works, and movements from masses or requiems from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. Drawing repertoire from Britain and mainland Europe, the volume features renowned choruses and familiar cornerstones of the repertoire, as well as some choral discoveries, all in new, carefully researched, and practical editions. Playable piano reductions for rehearsal use are included in the main volume, with a separate volume of purpose-made three-stave organ accompaniments, and newly typeset orchestral material available on rental. Intended for choral societies and cathedral, church, and concert choirs, this is a unique collection of choral classics for mixed voices and orchestra, and an invaluable practical addition to any choir’s library. Titles include: “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” (Bach), “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place” (Brahms), “In Paradisum” (Faure), “Psalm 150” (Franck), “Zadok the Priest” (Handel), “Lacrimosa” (Mozart), “Jerusalem” (Parry), “Magnificat” (Schubert), “In Exitu Israel” (Vivaldi), and more.
European Sacred Music
“European Sacred Music” is a collection of over 50 of the finest examples of sacred choral music from continental Europe, ranging from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. John Rutter has prepared completely new editions of all the pre-twentieth-century items, going back to the earliest and most reliable manuscript or printed sources. New English singing translations are provided for most pieces, and playable keyboard reductions. Titles include: “Miserere” (Allegri), “Geistliches Lied” (Brahms), “Locus Iste” (Bruckner), “O Vos Omnes” (Casals), “Cantique de Jean Racine” (Faure), “Dixit Maria” (Hassler), “Ave Verum Corpus” (Lassus), “Crucifixus a 8” (Lotti), “Verleih uns Frieden” (Mendelssohn), “Sicut Cervus” (Palestrina), and more.
English Church Music Volume 1: Anthems and Motets and Volume 2: Canticles and Responses
“English Church Music” assembles in two volumes around 100 of the finest examples of English sacred choral music of the past five centuries. The first volume, dedicated to anthems and motets, presents both favourite and lesser-known works, from Renaissance polyphony to the works of the great 19th- and 20th-century composers. The second volume presents a wealth of service material suitable for use throughout the year. Volume 1 titles include: “Ave Verum Corpus” (Byrd), “O Clap Your Hands” (Gibbons), “Faire is the Heaven” (Harris), “Hear My Prayer” (Mendelssohn), “Like as the Hart” (Howells), “Ascendit Deus” (Philips), “Beati Quorum Via” (Stanford), “If Ye Love Me” (Tallis), “O Taste and See” (Vaughan Williams), “Wash Me Throughly” (Wesley), and more.
Christmas Motets
Gathered in this volume are some of the finest motets and related pieces for the season of Christmas. Christmas Motets provides a superb choice of pieces for all choirs looking for something new. John Rutter has prepared completely new editions of all the pre-twentieth-century works, going back to the earliest and most reliable manuscript or printed sources. There are new English singing translations, and playable keyboard reductions in every case. Titles include: “Hodie Christus Natus Est” (Sweelinck), “In Dulci Jubilo” (Praetorius), “O Magnum Mysterium” (Victoria), “Quem Pastores Laudavere” (Praetorius), “Resonet in Laudibus” (Handl), “Virga Jesse Floruit” (Bruckner), and more.
Madrigals and Partsongs
This book contains 59 of the finest examples of the secular choral repertoire, ranging from the late 15th to the 20th century and spanning all the major European countries. All the pre-twentieth-century pieces are in completely new editions going back to the earliest and most reliable sources. Includes English translations and playable keyboard reductions. Titles include: “As torrents in summer” (Elgar), “The blue bird” (Stanford), “Der Tanz” (Schubert), “The Evening Primrose” (Britten), “Fair Phyllis I Saw” (Farmer), “Il est bel et bon” (Passereau), “Lay a garland” (Pearsall), “My spirit sang all day” (Finzi), “The silver swan” (Gibbons), “Trois chansons de Charles d’Orleans” (Debussy), and more.
Opera Choruses
“Opera Choruses” is a collection of 35 classic opera choruses, skillfully arranged as separate concert works, all with excellent English singing translations and practical keyboard reductions. Titles include: “Anvil Chorus” (Verdi, Il Trovatore) “Bridal Chorus” (Wagner, Lohengrin), “Brindisi” (Verdi, La Traviata), “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” (Verdi, Nabucco), “Easter Hymn” (Mascagni, Cavalleria Rusticana), “Humming Chorus” (Puccini, Madama Butterfly), “Pilgrims’ Chorus” (Wagner, Tannhauser), “Witches’ Chorus” (Verdi, Macbeth), and more.
In the short film below, Rutter reflects on the choices and intricacies of curating pieces for an anthology. For more information, please contact us, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!