Howard Skempton

Rise Up, My Love

For SATB unaccompanied. New Horizons showcases the wealth of exciting, innovative, and occasionally challenging choral music being written today. It encompasses the whole gamut of small-scale choral genres, both secular and sacred, and includes pieces for upper-voice and mixed choirs. With titles by some of the most accomplished choral composers active in Great Britain and abroad, the series introduces new repertoire and fresh talent to a broad spectrum of choirs. New Horizons features composers with growing reputations for quality composition reflecting a strong individual voice. The series is continually expanding and should be the first place to look for attractive and performable contemporary choral music. This setting of the Song of Songs is a fine example of Skempton's distinctive ability to distil and express the emotional essence of a text. Beautifully understated, and employing a straightforward tonal language with gorgeously refined harmony, this is an exquisite piece of choral writing.