Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/143250
2 Foreword What sweeter music can we bring than a joyous carol for to sing the birth of this, our heavenly King? Awake the voice, awake the string! –Robert Herrick, 17th c. What Sweeter Music is a sumptuous feast of fifteen English, German and French carols plus several new songs from the pen of one of this generation's master composers, Mark Hayes. The joyous Opening Medley sets the stage for the many exceptional moments to come, from the powerful new setting of the Magnificat for soprano solo to the charming Cradle Medley, which features optional children's voices. An accomplished musical dramatist, Mark provides sensitive underscoring to continue the musical flow between movements as male and female narrators share the beloved Christmas story. To add to the festivity, the congregation/audience may join the choir to sing in several of the carol medleys. Available in SATB and SAB editions, What Sweeter Music lasts approximately 35 minutes and is the perfect selection for Christmas worship or for holiday performances by community, high school, college, and university choirs. Mark's keyboard accompaniment is sheer delight and a worthy complement to any performance. He has also provided two orchestrations, one for full orchestra and another for small instrumental ensemble, to serve choirs of all sizes and needs. Instrumental parts are available in both printed form and on CD. As an added bonus, both a splittrack accompaniment CD and an SA/TB part-dominant rehearsal CD are available. —The Publisher Contents Opening Medley What Sweeter Music Can We Bring? / Angels We Have Heard on High / I Saw Three Ships / Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day Choir.................................................................................................................................................... 4 Promise of Peace Narration and Choir........................................................................................................................ 14 Song of Mary Narration and Soprano Solo.......................................................................................................... 22 Cradle Medley Still, Still, Still / Away in a Manger / What Sweeter Music Can We Bring? / Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne / Silent Night Narration and Choir with opt. Children's Choir and Congregation/Audience................... 29 Song of the Angels Angels We Have Heard on High / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / The First Nowell Narration and Choir with opt. Congregation/Audience.......................................................... 41 O Holy Night Choir with opt. Solos...................................................................................................................... 55 We Three Kings of Orient Are Narration and Choir........................................................................................................................ 64 Closing Medley What Sweeter Music Can We Bring? / Good Christians All, Rejoice / Joy to the World / O Come, All Ye Faithful Narration and Choir with opt. Congregation/Audience.......................................................... 76 65/2049&51L-2