| Forum message: "Sit" or "Stand" | Dean Rishel | December 10, 2010 |
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As strange as it sounds, I'm looking fora piece of secular music, SATB, of medium to medium-difficult level which has the words either ""Sit" or "Stand" in the title. The word could be in a foreign language or English - it doesn't matter. This is for a community chorus so the text should be of gen... |
| Comment: Re: Mozart Requiem Tempo issues: Why so Slow?!? | Dean Rishel | September 27, 2010 |
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I had a lengthy conversation once with Sir Roger Norrington on this very issue. If you can find it I would recommend Wye Allenbriik's book, "Rhythmic Gesture in Mozart". Barring that, what Sir Roger stressed is the pulse. Leopold Mozart wrote a little earlier that (and I'm paraphrasing Norring... |
| Comment: Re: Britten: Deo Gracias | Dean Rishel | August 26, 2010 |
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As I tried to make clear, while using "chee" in "Gracias" is indeed non-traditional, is an authentic and valid variant of how it was actually pronounced in parts of England at that time, according to the best expert I could find. As he explained, It's an option, that's all, and it's not inco... |
| Comment: Re: Britten: Deo Gracias | Dean Rishel | August 25, 2010 |
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When I first did this piece, a historical English language expert from the University of Pennsylvania told me that at that time there could have been two possible parallel pronunciations and either would be legitimate. If you're going for authentic Old English (before the vowel shift, etc.) you ... |
| Comment: Re: Development | Dean Rishel | August 24, 2010 |
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A Personal Appeal might work.
Print out copies of a form letter asking for support and explaining what you need and why you need it, but on that page leave room for an individual to write a personal note. Then give ten copies of that for letter to every member of the orchestra. Ask them to wri... |
| Comment: Re: Major Work recommendation | Dean Rishel | August 8, 2010 |
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You might consider Handel's "Dixit Dominus".
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| Comment: Re: SATB with cello | Dean Rishel | July 30, 2010 |
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May I suggest you look at the arrangement of "He's Gone Away" on the website www.deanrishelmusic.com. You can hear a performance (with electronic-keyboard-cello, unfortunately) and see most of the pdf.
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| Comment: Re: looking for quality Easter SATB choral music for use during service | Dean Rishel | June 4, 2010 |
| At the great risk of being labeled "self-promoting" I would encourage you to look at my composition "Easter Song", found on my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com
It's a unique piece and has never yet been performed. It's not easy, but worth the work, I think. It requires one-hand organ and chimes.... |
| Comment: Re: Calling All Composers | Dean Rishel | May 18, 2010 |
| Clay - You don't mention any kind of interest area (Holiday, General) , style preference (folk, classical, etc) or degree of difficulty. Please go to my website
www.deanrishelmusic.com
and browse the site. If there's anything you find there that would work well for you I would seriously cons... |
| Comment: Re: Christmas repetoire for brass quintet with possible timpani/percussion | Dean Rishel | April 21, 2010 |
| Although it may come up a bit short on timing, I recommend you contact Paul Ayres and take a look at his "Make We Merry". It is a up-tempo, jazzy-funky piece setting an old Christmas text and it's wonderful fun to sing. My choir sang it this last Dec. and had a great time with it, as did the a... |
| Forum message: Songs about the "Seven Deadly Sins" - serious and fun | Dean Rishel | March 28, 2010 |
| I need suggestions for SATB, medium difficulty, and available repertoire, both classical / serious and pop / fun, referring to any one of the seven deadly sins. (A quick reminder: Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Pride, and Envy) This is for a fall concert. based on that theme. Thanks fo... |
| Comment: Re: What is your favorite???? | Dean Rishel | February 20, 2010 |
| My Choice: Verdi's Requiem. Always a challenge, and never the same twice. A theatrical work of real genius as well as the most fun piece of sacred music ever written.
Dean
www.deanrishelmusic.com |
| Comment: Re: Choral Masterwork Suggestions for beginning and intermediate singers | Dean Rishel | February 20, 2010 |
| I'd go with Mozart's Mass in C, The "Coronation" Mass. It's really not very difficult, but it's still touched with Mozart's genius.
Dean Rishel
www.deanrishelmusic.com |
| Comment: Re: Choral Singing Outside | Dean Rishel | February 12, 2010 |
| I would simply say that unless you are hiring real professional sound engineers who have a ton of experience miking choirs and instrumental ensembles in an outdoor setting, don't expect too much. An outside rehearsal will help the choir get used to not hearing each other. Just do your best for t... |
| Comment: Re: can a pagan be a choral conductor? | Dean Rishel | February 11, 2010 |
| Another agreement here. I tell my community choruses that when we sing as Mass, we temporarily "become" Roman Catholics. When we sing Jewish music we must think of ourselves as being Jewish. Same with Sprirtuals or Protestant hymns or any other music of faith, and all this regardless of my belie... |
| Comment: Re: Lord's Prayer choral setting | Dean Rishel | February 11, 2010 |
| There was a version by Flor Peters which was available both as a solo and in an SATB setting. I used it some years ago and it's an effective alternate. I no longer have a copy but I would suggest seeking it out. |
| Comment: Re: Length of Concert | Dean Rishel | January 18, 2010 |
| My community choir concerts, with intermission, typically run just under two hours, and some people tell me they are too long. There have been shorter exceptions, but... I guess there is just so much music I want to include, and a chamber division has their own portion of the concert with abou... |
| Comment: Re: Suggestions or ideas for a concert on the theme 'Ave' | Dean Rishel | January 17, 2010 |
| "Ave Regina" by Gyorgy Orban is a wonderful piece. Very beautiful and not too difficult. |
| Comment: Re: Stephen Foster arrangements | Dean Rishel | January 4, 2010 |
| Be sure to check out my "inventive" and fun arrangement of "Nelly Bly", published by Mark Foster Music, #MF 3075 |
| Comment: Re: Seeking repertoire suggestions... | Dean Rishel | December 26, 2009 |
| Craig - may I suggest that you go to my website: www.deanrishelmusic.com and check out the 3-part women's arrangement of "Se Tu M'ami". It might fit you needs. |
| Comment: Re: Beautiful melodies (and beautiful arrangements) | Dean Rishel | December 17, 2009 |
| Have a look at my setting of a really beautiful melody by Rameau from Dardanus, re-set as "Weeping Willow Tree" at www.deanrishelmusic.com. Check out "Annie Laurei" while you're there. They may work for you. |
| Comment: Re: "New takes on familiar hymns" | Dean Rishel | December 2, 2009 |
| May I suggest my setting of "Softly and Tenderly", which is a new melody but also subtly incorporates "Thompson", the traditional melody. You'll find it at my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com
I think it may suit your needs. Dean. |
| Borrowing request: Still looking for "How Firm a Foundation" in the original a cappella version | Dean Rishel | November 9, 2009 |
| Item: "How Firm a Foundation"
Composer/Arranger/Edition: Parker or Shaw/Parker
Starting: December
For: 5 months
Copies: up to 100
Willing to rent: No
I'm am still trying to find a source from which to borrow or rent copies of the original, a cappella, arrangement of "How Firm a Foundation" ,... |
| Borrowing request: Early American Hymn arrangement | Dean Rishel | October 26, 2009 |
| Item: How Firm a Foundation SATB
Composer/Arranger/Edition: Parker (Shaw-Parker?)
Starting: January
For: 5 months
Copies: 100
Willing to rent: Yes
I desire to borrow the original a capella arrangement of this Early American Hymn, as recorded on Shaw's RCA LP of Early American Hymns, not t... |
| Comment: Re: Need SATB middle school winter/holiday suggestions | Dean Rishel | October 12, 2009 |
| I invite you to consider my arrangement of "To Drive the Cold Winter Away" (Mark Foster Press) and if you want a very secular Scottish Christmas song, "Hang the Holly" (Mark Foster Press). These have proven to be popular and useful for directors who need Holiday music that is largely Christmas... |
| Comment: Re: Need SATB middle school winter/holiday suggestions | Dean Rishel | October 11, 2009 |
| Check out my "Snow Song", published by Shawnee Press. It's been very well received and is lots of fun and not to difficult. Although it's 2-part, just have the lower voices double one or both of the parts. It still works fine.
Dean Rishel |
| Comment: Re: Creating programs for middle school and high school choirs | Dean Rishel | September 21, 2009 |
| Please check out the pieces on my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com for your 11th and 12th grade choir. I wriite music which is accessible but a little more challenging than mass market octavos, both accompanied and a capella, and you may find something useful.I hope you do.
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| Comment: Re: SATB Christmas and Brass Quintet | Dean Rishel | September 15, 2009 |
| Composer Paul Ayres has available a wonderful SATB (div) + Brass Quintet piece called "Make We Merry". It is fun, jazzy, well crafted and might suit your needs to a "T". I'm programming it for my upcoming holiday concert and the choir loves it. You can get this directly from him at paulayres@cl... |
| Comment: Re: Church SAB Pieces | Dean Rishel | September 11, 2009 |
| If you have handbells and a children's choir, check out my setting of "A Mighty Fortress" at
www.deanrishel music.com.
I hope it would work for you. It's a good festival piece,too. Just a tiny bit challenging for the SAB choir but easy for the kids and bells.
Dean |
| Comment: Re: A request about Opera Choruses | Dean Rishel | September 9, 2009 |
| In Philadelphia, in recent years I have been hired as an "extra" chorus singer for the bigger productions which required a larger chorus: Aida and Un Ballo in Maschera. When each production was finished its run over I was done and the regular, core chorus sang the rest of the season. I had contr... |
| Comment: Re: Women's choir songs to build foundational technique | Dean Rishel | August 12, 2009 |
| May I recommend my women's arrangement of "Se tu M'ami", found on my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com. I think it would cover a lot of basic vocal strategies.
Dean |
| Comment: Re: christmas work for SATB - moderate difficulty | Dean Rishel | July 31, 2009 |
| If you go to my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com, please have a look and a listen to tthe Christmas pieces there for SATB. Most were written at the "moderate" level of difficulty for my community chorus.
I would expecially suggest:
To Drive the Cold Winter Away
What Child Is This?
Still Still St... |
| Comment: Re: getting young children to match pitch with a male voice | Dean Rishel | July 26, 2009 |
| In 36 years of teaching I've had a little success with the practice ( mentioned above) of singing very lightly and taking all the weight out of my voice - almost a pure head tone.
But, truth to tell...
nothing works as well as biting the bullet and simply singing in falsetto most of the time, at l... |
| Comment: Re: Women's choir songs to build foundational technique | Dean Rishel | July 20, 2009 |
| I've created a nice 3-part women's arrangement - with piano - of "Se Tu M'ami" , the Italian song attributed to Pergolesi. You might want to have a look at that at
www.deanrishelmusic,com.
Use the filters to navigate to it and see if it fits your needs. |
| Comment: Re: Jazzy upbeat Holiday program closer needed | Dean Rishel | July 16, 2009 |
| We found a fun holiday closer in the 4-part rock/jazz arrangement of "Little Saint Nick", which is the music of the Beach Boys' "Little Deuce Coupe" (I think) with a fun text about Santa. I can't remember the arranger but find the one that begins with "On Dasher, on Danser..."). A real hoot for ch... |
| Comment: Re: exciting literature for high school concert/contest | Dean Rishel | July 16, 2009 |
| For something challenging you might go to my website, www.deanrishelmusic.com and check out Rubaiyat 3: "For Spring is Here". (The other two Rubaiyats are a bit more somber but a fun challenge to sing and perform.) Also check my arrangement of "Ca' the Yowes" (published by Carl Fisher Music) whi... |
| Comment: Re: Men's Choral Music for Camp | Dean Rishel | July 4, 2009 |
| Have a look at "Donkey Riding" found at
www.deanrishelmusic.com
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| Borrowing request: Need to borrow a Spiritual | Dean Rishel | July 2, 2009 |
| Item: "In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin" SATB
Composer/Arranger/Edition: _???___ Weseley Harris (Shawnee Press)
Starting: August
For: 4 months
Copies: 50
Willing to rent: Yes
Lending would be preferable but willing to pay a modest rental cost. |
| Comment: Re: Seeking Simple PIeces for Community Chorus | Dean Rishel | June 29, 2009 |
| I write mainly for my community chorus, and while not all my compositions are easy, some of them may serve your needs. Please visit
www.deanrishelmusic.com
view the pdf files, listen to the mp3 files performances, and see if there is anything there that would be useful for your group. Good luck. |
| Comment: Re: The choral publishing business | Dean Rishel | June 24, 2009 |
| Having been published by Mark Foster Music, Shawnee Press, and Carl Fischer Music, things were going well until a major change in personnel. The people who championed my music - Carl Strommen and Patricia thor-Straten Mohr - were no longer with the company and I pretty much found myself out in th... |
| Forum message: Seeking original Spiritual text | Dean Rishel | June 24, 2009 |
| I will be programming Jerry Weseley Harris' "In The Great Gettin' Up Mornin'" this semester, but I notice that in the latest edition the text has been changed since I sang this many years ago. Does anyone have an old copy with the original text? I would prefer to use that text. Could you email t... |
| Comment: Re: Question about Carols | Dean Rishel | June 10, 2009 |
| If some simple German carols are in order, I would suggest you suggest you go to my website, www.deanrishelmiusic.com and have a look at "Still, Still, Still" and "Leise Rieselt der Schnee". They're simple and quite effective.
Dean |
| Comment: Re: Dialect Pronunciation in Negro Spirituals | Dean Rishel | June 9, 2009 |
| I am most intrigued by a previous comment here, saying that "Nobody would think of correcting Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols" or Orff's "Carmina Burana". In fact, I and many other conductors struggle with these two pieces on a regular basis, and it is not at all unusual to hear the tex... |
| Comment: Re: Suggestions for new Christmas Repertoire (10 - 20 min) for Choir and brass | Dean Rishel | June 8, 2009 |
| If you can do double chorus, Johann Ludwig Bach's "Uns Ist Ein Kind Geboren" is delightful, not at all difficult, and comes in at approximately 10 minutes. It works either a capella or, if you have a second keyboard, accompanied. It's fun to sing. |
| Forum message: Choral and Brass for Christmas | Dean Rishel | May 18, 2009 |
| I'm looking for quality literature for SATB (divisi OK) chorus and Brass for my next holiday program.I need to find good repertoire to program with the Pinkham "Christmas Cantata". Anything for Hanukkah and Brass??? |
