Novello New Choral Series

Craig McLeish writes of The Negro Speaks of Rivers; Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was the first black American to earn his living from writing. He was an innovator of jazz poetry, becoming part of the H...

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? was written in memory of the victims of the London bombings on 7 July 2005, questions the presence of God in times of human disaster, particularly when committed by...

Drop, drop slow tears was written for The Arcadian Singers of Oxford University for a recording in 2002. The work is set in a simple three-verse format, beginning with upper voices whose melting harmo...

An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-pa...

Of Noblest Cities is intended for a choir of between 12 and about 40 voices, although it may also be given by just six singers, one to a part (SSATBB). The piece can be performed unaccompanied, if no...

These words of this carol, full of colours and rich in symbolism, are from the Cherry Tree Carol, a popular folk carol telling a legend which goes back at least as far as the Coventry Mystery Plays. T...

Lully, Lullay was written at the request of Philip Reed, music director of the Bury St Edmunds Bach Choir, which gave the first performance on 17 December 2011 at Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford, Su...

An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-pa...

There is no rose of such virtue is an anonymous mediaeval text, already well known through beautiful settings by Britten (in his Ceremony of Carols), John Joubert and others. The poem is 'macaronic' (...

Lullay, my liking is scored for accompanied two-part choir, allowing for various upper-/lower-voice combinations: two-part trebles or sopranos, upper voices only (S/A), or men only (T/B). If performed...

Nunc autem manet was written for the wedding of Paul and Angharad de Cates in 2010. The text is taken from Corinthians 13:13 - 'Now but three things remain: faith, hope, love. But of these three the g...

The harmonic language of Ave verum is rich and full flavoured, without being strongly dissonant. There is chromatic angst in the middle section, in which the melodic line of the opening is inverted in...

Ave verum was commissioned early in 2011 by Edward Rowntree for the birthday of his father, John Rowntree, director of music at Douai Abbey in the UK. My aim was to write a piece both short and simple...

An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-pa...

Arise! This Joyful Eastertide was a winner from the Novello Lent and Easter Composing Competition. Arise! This Joyful Eastertide takes an adaptation of the George Woodward text and is scored for SATB...

Love me sweet was composed for the occasion of the composer's wedding in July 2010. The text consists of four verses taken from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's ironic poem A Man's Requirements which ends...

As a lily among thorns was composed as a wedding present for Katie Johnston and John Hillier in March 2004. It was performed at their marriage in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and later performed pu...

Evocation to a Friend was commissioned for the Choristers of Canterbury Cathedral on behalf of Befrienders International (now Befrienders Worldwide). The text is by David Race and explores themes of f...

A Gaelic Blessing is a simple and catchy piece by Craig McLeish. This piece will be particularly useful for school, junior and community choirs, and a tuneful introduction to singing simple contrapunt...

In Out of the south cometh the whirlwind, chant-like melodies and colourful organ writing combine to explore the relationship between God and the natural world. Awarded a 2011 King James Bible Composi...

The text of Susanni is a translation of Martin Luther's hymn of 1535, Vom Himmel hoch. The music is based loosely upon the well-known chorale melody, which, at times, is quoted in full in both voices...

Scored for SATB and Organ accompaniment.

Invocation was written for the Choir of The Queen's College, Oxford and represents the culmination of the composer's time as a research fellow at the college, when he worked closely with the choir. P...

There is no rose may be considered as having three distinct but musically interlinked phases. The first is reflective in nature, a set of musings on the mysteries of Mary as the Mother of God, the nat...

Sweet was the song was composed in 2003 as a commission from the Hampstead Chamber Choir and their then director, Eamonn Dougan. It is a short and simple SATB setting of a familiar Christmas text. Th...