Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/211716
3 PERFORMANCE NOTES Followers of the Lamb is a 28-minute cantata featuring: O nl y • Narration, including words of Jesus taken directly from scripture and monologues from some of Jesus' followers. • Familiar hymn tunes and texts, timeless folk melodies, and newly composed music. • Joyous, upbeat tunes for Palm Sunday and Easter and slower, more reflective pieces to complement scenes from the Last Supper, Garden of Gethsemane and Calvary. • An instrumental prelude, six choral movements, plus underscores supporting some of the monologues. • Optional solos for male and female singers. • Accompaniment for either piano or chamber orchestra for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, percussion, and strings. • Option of two possible endings–the work may end after the 5th movement, "It Is Finished," or it may end after "The Risen Lamb." ew Followers of the Lamb may be presented in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions for its use: Fo rP re vi • It may be presented in its entirety, as part of a worship service or a sacred concert, ending with either the 5th or 6th movements. • It may be extended to create a larger work by inserting congregational hymns after some of the movements, as deemed appropriate. • The movements from the cantata may each be sung separately, during individual Holy Week worship services. • The words of Jesus may be read by a single person or by five different readers. • The words of Jesus may be read in front of the congregation or out of sight of the congregation. • The monologues may be read simply, or for a more dramatic effect, may be memorized and presented in costume. Feel free to use any or all of these suggestions, or add your own ideas to further enhance the message of this work to suit your own congregation's needs and tastes. May God bless you and heighten your commitment to become "followers of the Lamb." -The Publisher 42470