SATB/Piano and TBB/Piano); U.S. publisher, Alliance Music Publ. AMP 0940 (SATB) and AMP 0944 (TBB); Duration: 3:50 minutes COMPOSER NOTES This wonderful text is by the English poet, Edmund Waller (1606-1687). Waller was elected to parliament at the very young age of 16 because of his great oratory ability and keen sense of language. “Go […]
SATB/piano; Editor’s Choice, J.W. Pepper; Garcilaso de la Vega, poet; U.S. publisher, Walton Music 1513; Duration 3:50 COMPOSER’S NOTES This is the 3rd movement of “Four Sonnets of Garcilaso de la Vega” for SATB voices; (Complete set is also on YouTube). The lyricist is the 16th century Spanish Golden Age poet, Garcilaso de la Vega, who […]
SATB/Piano (or brass, perc., organ); (also available SATB/Brass/Perc/Org, SSA/Piano, TBB/Piano, TTBB/Piano, SATB/Wind Ensemble, SATB/Orchestra); BASIC LIBRARY, J.W. Pepper; U.S. publisher, Colla Voce; Duration 5.5 minutes. COMPOSER’S NOTES One’s “Homeland,” in a more narrow definition, is a place where a person or group has a cultural, national, or racial identity. In its most broad terms, it can also […]
SSATB unacc. and baritone solo; Robert Lowry (Philadelphia) wrote the tune; Anna Bartlett Warner (Long Island) wrote the text; arranged by ZRS; U.S. Publisher, Alliance Music 0300; Duration 3 minutes. COMPOSER’S NOTES I grew up on a ranch in southern New Mexico. The surrounding communities had a tradition of gospel and hymn singing on Sunday […]
SSATBB unacc.; Shakespeare, poet; U.S. publisher, Alliance Music Publ. AMP 1000; Duration 3:42 COMPOSER NOTES William Shakespeare (1564-1616) THE MERCHANT OF VENICE How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here we sit and let the sounds of music creep in our ears. Soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony. Look […]
SATBB/unacc; Editor’s Choice, J.W. Pepper; also available for Solo Voice and Piano and Wind Ensemble (no chorus); Sara Teasdale, poetess; U.S. Publisher – Walton Music WJMS 1041 Duration 4:10 COMPOSER NOTES Sara Teasdale (1884-1933), American poetess and lyricist who was born in St. Louis is one of my favorite American poets. Her major poetic themes were […]
SATB/Piano & solo Violin; e.e. cummings, poet; U.S. publisher, Alliance Music Publ. #0726; Duration 6 minutes COMPOSER’S NOTES Edward Estlin Cummings [“e. e. cummings”] was an American poet, painter, playwright, and essayist. Cummings (1894-1962) earned two degrees from Harvard (where he was awarded an honorary visiting professorship), and wrote a staggering 2900 poems, plus four […]
SSATB unacc; text by American poetess, Sara Teasdale; U.S. Publisher – www.zrstroope.com (this site); Duration 4:50 COMPOSER NOTES Born in St. Louis, Teasdale’s major poetic themes were love, death, and nature’s beauty. Life rarely “lived up” to her expectations, so she constantly reached out for something that always eluded her. Her poetry has an eloquence […]
SATB unacc. (also available in TTBB unacc. and SSAA/Piano); Text – trad. & ZRS; publisher – free download; Duration 4 minutes COMPOSER NOTES During the recent pandemic and seemingly constant world crises, I felt helpless, full of unanswered questions, and most of all – profoundly sad for the thousands of families who lost a loved […]
SATB and Piano (or flute, oboe and strings); also available for SA/Piano, SAB/Piano, and SSA/Piano; Holocaust text; U.S. Publisher, Heritage Music Press 15/1085H; Duration 3:10. COMPOSER NOTES This Holocaust text is a story survival, belief, and resilience, even in the most dire of circumstances. Inscription of Hope utilizes a folk tune and anonymous text in […]