Four American Choruses

Four American Choruses
Author: Julian Anderson
Publisher: Alfred Music Publishing
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2008
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9780571532131

The texts of these choruses were chosen from Ira D. Sankey's popular Gospel Hymn Book, from the mid-nineteenth century, a volume much loved by Charles Ives who quoted numerous Snakey tunes in almost all of this mature works. There is something socially very moving about them, providing as they did a means of solace, comfort and hope for a better life for people whose lives were, on average, probably terrible. Some of the phraseology and turns of phrase may also have been an influence on American poets in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Pre-echoes of Emily Dickenson can be heard on the texts of both I'm a Pilgrim and Beautiful Valley of Eden. In all four cases, the chosen texts generally avoid any specifically religious references. Titles: I'm a Pilgrim * Beautiful Valley of Eden * Bright Morning Star! * At the Fountain.

American Choral Music Since 1920

American Choral Music Since 1920
Author: David P. DeVenney
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 308
Release: 1993
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9780914913283

This book lists nearly 3,000 original choral works written by 76 composers active in the United States from roughly 1920 until the present. Styles range from the lush Romanticism of Charles Wakefield Cadman to the stark, dissonant harmonies of Morton Feldman.

The Harvard Dictionary of Music

The Harvard Dictionary of Music
Author: Don Michael Randel
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 1020
Release: 2003-11-28
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0674417992

This classic reference work, the best one-volume music dictionary available, has been brought completely up to date in this new edition. Combining authoritative scholarship and lucid, lively prose, the Fourth Edition of The Harvard Dictionary of Music is the essential guide for musicians, students, and everyone who appreciates music. The Harvard Dictionary of Music has long been admired for its wide range as well as its reliability. This treasure trove includes entries on all the styles and forms in Western music; comprehensive articles on the music of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Near East; descriptions of instruments enriched by historical background; and articles that reflect today’s beat, including popular music, jazz, and rock. Throughout this Fourth Edition, existing articles have been fine-tuned and new entries added so that the dictionary fully reflects current music scholarship and recent developments in musical culture. Encyclopedia-length articles by notable experts alternate with short entries for quick reference, including definitions and identifications of works and instruments. More than 220 drawings and 250 musical examples enhance the text. This is an invaluable book that no music lover can afford to be without.

Dictionary of American Classical Composers

Dictionary of American Classical Composers
Author: Neil Butterworth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 561
Release: 2013-10-02
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1136790241

The Dictionary of American Classical Composers covers over 650 composers active from the 18th century to today. Covering all classical styles, it offers the most comprehensive overview of key composers in the United States available. Entries include basic biographical information and critical analysis of each composer's key works and ideas. Entries also include worklists and bibliographic information. Whenever possible, the entries will have been checked by the composers themselves to assure greatest possible accuracy. This new edition, completely updated and expanded from the 1984 edition, also includes over 200 historic photographs.

Choral-Orchestral Repertoire

Choral-Orchestral Repertoire
Author: Jonathan D. Green
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 747
Release: 2019-12-05
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1442244674

Choral-Orchestral Repertoire: A Conductor’s Guide, Omnibus Edition offers an expansive compilation of choral-orchestral works from 1600 to the present. Synthesizing Jonathan D. Green’s earlier six volumes on this repertoire, this edition updates and adds to the over 750 oratorios, cantatas, choral symphonies, masses, secular works for large and small ensembles, and numerous settings of liturgical and biblical texts for a wide variety of vocal and instrumental combinations. Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch of the composer, approximate duration, text sources, performing forces, available editions, and locations of manuscript materials, as well as descriptive commentary, a discography, and a bibliography. Unique to this edition are practitioner’s evaluations of the performance issues presented in each score. These include the range, tessitura, and nature of each solo role and a determination of the difficulty of the choral and orchestral portions of each composition. There is also a description of the specific challenges, staffing, and rehearsal expectations related to the performance of each work. Choral-Orchestral Repertoire is an essential resource for conductors and students of conducting as they search for repertoire appropriate to their needs and the abilities of their ensembles.