Date: Wed, 01 Oct 1997 18:29:24 -0500
From: "Anne S. Jamison"
Subject: LONG compilation of simple unison/ two-part pieces for festival

Thanks very much to everyone who respond so generously.
I hope I didn't leave out anyone; I apologize if I did! Thanks again for
the wonderful ideas.
---Anne Jamison

From: "Gabriel C. Statom"
Greetings! I hope your festival goes well! Junior high kids are very
intereseing to work with. Good luck!
1) A very nice unison (w/2 flutes) sacred work is:
Feed My Lambs, by Natalie Sleeth (Carl Fischer CM7777)
2) Some Two-part pieces:
Praise to the Lord, arr. Joseph Goodman
(Presser 312-41220)

Come Lord, Quikly Come, by G.F. Handel, arr. Edwards
(Coronet CP277)

Tomorrow, by Ruth Artman (Hal Leonard 08598202)
---------------
hillary.colton(a)HCRHS.HUNTERDON.K12.NJ.US
As Long As I Have Music - Besig & Price
Land of a Thousand Dances
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier - Bennet
------------------
From: smcint(a)jbworld.jbs.st-louis.mo.us (Stuart McIntosh)
Subj: Re: simple unison or two-part pieces for festival

I have a simple and fun setting of Gelet Burgess's poems 'The Purple Cow'
for either unison or simple two part. If you are interested I could send
you a copy. Kids really enjoy singing it.

------------
From: "Terry W. Lokken"
Subj: Re: simple unison or two-part pieces for festival

I recommend
The Song That Nature Sings Ruth Schram Brilee Press unison voices
Haida a wonderful canon easy to learn and fun too a challenging piano
part! arr. Henry Leck
Al Shlosha D'Varim Boosey and Hawkes a beautiful partner song
by Alan Naplan
Promised Land Natalie Sleeth oldie but goodie again a partner song
O music lowell mason nice canon Boosey and Hawkes
Oh Freedom Ed Henry Leck? easily taught not always easily sung
Manz Lullaby Lori Anne Doloff Boosey and Hawkes
Bashana Haba'ah ed. by Henry Leck
Fog Audrey Snyder a beautiful canon with gorgeous dissonance

Those are off the top of my head I have done each one with middle school
kids and the kids all loved them.

Carolyn Lokken
Grand island Senior High School
-------------
Anne -
A good piece using a famous canon melody (by William Boyce) is "Simply
Alleluia" by Donald Moore Alfred Publishing. It even has a lovely flute
obligato which can layer on top for a nice touch. Except for the ending,
it can be taught in about 15 minutes- - -really!!!

Good luck - - I'd love to see your compilation.

Carol Schoch
Escola Graduada de Sco Paulo,
Brazil
-----------
From: Tom Cunningham
You might to look at:
A Silver Lining, a bright and cheerful song by Tom Cunningham on "the power
of positive thinking" with simple
two- and (optional) three-part writing for equal voices and a lively piano
accompaniment which will provide a bright spot on any concert program.
Published by Hinshaw HMC-1351.

Three Donkeys, a popular Christmas song by Tom Cunningham for unison
children's voices with simple piano accompaniment. Unpublished. Available
direct from me.

More information on my web page.
---------
From: smcint(a)jbworld.jbs.st-louis.mo.us (Stuart McIntosh)
Subj: Re: simple unison or two-part pieces for festival

I have a simple and fun setting of Gelet Burgess's poems 'The Purple Cow'
for either unison or simple two part. If you are interested I could send
you a copy. Kids really enjoy singing it.

I wrote it earlier this year. The Lawrence Children's Choir (Kansas) should
be doing it soon.
-------------------
anichols(a)madison.k12.wi.us (Anne R. Nichols)
I can offer you some of what I have experienced as "Greatest Hits" as a
Middle School choral director. Because of limited rehearsal time, I would
suggest using partner songs using familiar melodies such as:

1)"Alexander's Ragtime Band" 2 pt.(Alfred) arr. by Don Besig & Nancy Price
(Up tempo)

2)"A Distant Shore" (Partner w/ "The Water Is Wide") 2 pt. (Alfred) arr. by
Mary Donnelly and George L.O. Strid (down tempo)

3)"O, Desayo" Angolan Folk Song 2 pt. (Plymouth) arr. by Elliot Z. Levine,
Edited by Henry Leck. (Medium up-tempo, good with bongos & claves)

Other possibilities that are not partner songs:

4) "And We Sing Gloria" by Jay Althouse 2 pt. (Shawnee Press) (up-tempo)

5) "Stronger With Time" by Carl Strommen 2 pt. (Alfred) (Down-tempo,
singers love this one!! Light pop style.)

6) "Bashana Haba-A" by Nurit Hirsh, edited by Henry Leck, 2 pt. (Posthorn
Press) Hebrew might be a bit much, but easy melody and harmony.(down
tempo)

7)"Hine Ma Tov" by Allan E. Naplan 2 pt. (Boosey & Hawkes, Doreen Rao's CME
series) Up tempo, easy to learn, limited Hebrew with English, GREAT FUN!!)

8) "Climbin' Up the Mountain" arr. by Pasty Ford Simms 2 pt. , (Up tempo,
Spiritual)

9) "Mary Had a Little Blues" by Charles A. Collins 2 pt. (Boosey & Hawkes,
Doreen Rao's CME series) Blues number with lyrics jazzed up!! VERY FUN

10)"Music Alone Shall Live" by Douglas Wagner (Heritage) 2 pt. round

11) Fog by Carl Sandburg, Audrey Snyder unison 2 or 3 part, down tempo,
CPP Belwin

12)"Wind On the Hill" by Victoria Ebel-Sabo unison, (Boosey & Hawkes, Mary
Goetze Series) excellent with flute or violin, "Spanish" style, down tempo


13)"Watah Come a Me Eye" Jamaican Folk Song, arr. by Mary Val Marsh, easy 2
part with rhythm instruments. Relaxed tempo. (Alfred Folk Choral
Selections)

Anne R. Pingel-Nichols
------------
KESSELMA(a)cdnet.cod.edu (Kesselman, Lee R)
I'd like to suggest my own easy arrangement of AE FOND KISS (2 part + piano)
and composition SHALOM, FRIENDS (2 part) which includes the tune Shalom,
Chaverim. Also, if you can move to more parts, you could try TENZI or MBIRI
KUNA MWARI, both written in the Shona (African) style with drums. All are
published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Thanks.

Lee Kesselman
---------------
From: Douglas Rose

Watch out...unison songs are often difficult for the changing voices since
their singing ranges widely differ from unchanged and settling voices.
-----------------
If this festival is for boys and girls, I think you are in deep trouble if
you are planning on doing unison and 2 part pieces. The boys changing
voices precludes most unison works, as the mid and late stages of change
share only about a 6th in common. Most 2 part pieces will be too low or
too high, depending on who is singing what. The Mid Voice II kid sings
best from g to G, either side of Middle C, while the New Baritone sings
best from C below middle C to about Aflat or A below Middle C. If you are
doing mixed voices, I would suggest a couple of South African songs from
the collection "Freedom Is Coming", particularly the title tune (Freedom Is
Coming) and "Siyahamba". You can use multiple voicing options, from SA to
SSA to SAB to SATB. If you have enough boys, SATB would give them the most
opportunity for success. The Tenor part fits the boys who are in the
change and the Bass parts can be sung without using the low octaves. The
pieces are very easy to learn and immediately engaging.

If the festival is for treble voices only, there are lots of options. 2
pieces that are on the moderate to slow side that aren't done too often are
"Silver the River" by Stephen Paulus (unison with a bit of 2 part at the
end); and "The Song That Nature Sings", by a female composer who's name
escapes me at the moment, but it's unison and published by Brilee Music.
More immediately likable by Middle School trebles is "Just Beyond the
Rainbow's End" a 2 part piece by Ruth Artman.
-----------
From: ASBEKU(a)aol.com
Subj: Re: simple unison or two-part pieces for festival

One of the best pieces I've had luck with for this age group is "Praise The
Lord, Our God, Forever" by Mozart, arranged by Walter Ehret. This is called
a Concert Round. Both voices get the melody and is easy to teach. Make sure
you ask for the two-part arrangement because it is available in other
voicings.
-------------
Charles Claiborne
Alfred publishes a dozen pieces like this by Sally Albrecht. Check the
Pepper catalog.

Charles Claiborne
Kennesaw, GA
-------------
From: Robert Irwin Engle
I have a VERY easy arrangement of the Star-Spangled Banner arranged for
SA. It puts the song into 4-4 rather than 3-4, uses lots of canon, and
modulates at the point where the range goes so high (at the end). It was
published by a now-defunct publishing company (Foxhall), but I have lots
of copies available, stored in Pennsylvania. It has been used at a number
of festivals in PA. Let me know if you're interested in seeing a copy.

-------------
Rodger Schoonover
Try "Hine ma tov" by Allan E. Naplan
pub Boosey & Hawkes OCTB6782

It's upbeat and quickly learned.
--------
From: Stephen M Panther

In case no one has suggested this yet, John Rutter has some lovely
pieces for unison/two part. Very tuneful and accessible. Hope this
helps somewhat...

Stephen M. Panther
spanther(a)wolfenet.com
---------
Anne Jamison
U50432(a)uicvm.uic.edu

---

Date: Tue, 30 Jan 1996 10:32:27 -0500
From: JaceSings(a)aol.com
Subject: Kids with orchestra list (LONG)

Friends--

I asked several weeks ago for suggestions about a major work for children's
chorus, SATB chorus, and orchestra. My parameters were 1) not more than
30-45 minutes; 2) not a barn-burner like the Mahler, Berlioz, Britten and so
on; and 3) the children should sing something other than an obbligato role.

Your results are compiled here. Thanks to all who responded privately. I'm
not certain where I'm going yet, but I'm especially interested in the Menotti
and the Britten, as well as two of the lesser-known works on here.

Jeffrey Carter
The Jacomo Chorale
Blue Springs, Missouri
jacesings(a)aol.com
===========================1. Benjamin Britten: St. Nicholas (five suggestions). Chamber orch.

2. Gian Carlo Menotti: The Death of the Bishop of Brinidisi (three
suggestions). SATB, kids, two soloists, chamber orch.

3. Nielsen: Hynus amoris, Op. 12. Music Master Publications.

4. Raminsh: I will Sing Unto the Lord.

5. Rabinovitch: Psalms of Experience.

6. Brindley-Barnett: Butterfly Songs. [This sounds wonderful. Poetry from
Terezin concentration camp, taken from _I Never Saw Another Butterfly_.
Minneapolis composer Jeanie Brindley-Barnett. Ten songs in cycle. 40
minutes. Preusal scores available. email BarMusProd(a)aol.com for more info.]

7. Polifrone: Requiem. [Contact Jon Polifrone at polifron(a)vt.edu for more
info].

8. Andrew Carter: Benedicite. OUP. Loosely based on the Beatitudes.

John Specht of the Queensborough Chorus in New York has a special interest in
this medium, and I include his suggestions here in his own words.

The Prologue to Boito's Mefistofele is a wonderful work provided your
65-voice chorus can divide, and the orchestra is of adequate size. Good
length, too.

"La Fiesta de la Posada: by Dave Brubeck uses divided mixed chorus, but the
children's chorus is unison. Very colorful orchestration, about 40 min.
long.

David Diamond's "This Sacred Ground" uses a text by Lincoln, and has divisi
in both the choruses; about 15 min. or so, not especially easy, published by
Peer Southern (Th. Presser agent??)

If your mixed chorus is good and able to subdivide, try Ginastera's Psalm
150, for unison children's chorus, but it divides.

Of the same general musical school, Howard Hanson's "New Land, New
Covnenant", published by Carl Fischer, uses organ and small orchestra, but
again, the children's choir is unison.

An really overwhelmingly exciting piece is Holst's Hymn of Jesus; the
children's choir is SSA, pub. by Galaxy.

I've always loved Honegger's Christmas Cantata (Une cantate de Noel), even if
not done at Christmas time. A really major work, demanding an outstanding
female narrator, is his "Jeanne d'Arc au boucher."

"The Death of the Bishop of Brindisi" by Gian Carlo Menotti has SSA
childrne's chorus.

Carl Nielsen wrote a piece for SSA + SSATTBB, called "Springtime in Funen" in
English (which can be the language of performance), or "Fynsk Foraar" in
Danish. Pub. by Wilhelm Hansen. About 20 min.

A major undertaking (1 hr. 20 min.) is by Thomas Peterson, based on "The Lord
of the Rings," as I recall--it's called "The Tale of the Rings of Power" uses
5 soloists plus narrator, but is in English and one of the few secular works
in this medium. Th publisher is in Fargo ND, Cynthian Publ. Generally
medium difficulty, children's part medium easy.

John Rutter's "The Falcon" (OUP) uses 3-part, specifying boys.

Looks like it's made to order is Randall Thompson's "Psalm of Thanksgiving",
40 minutes, English, no soloists.

"Sancta Civitas (The Holy City)" by Vaughan Williams is 3-part for children,
and needs a small mixed chorus as well as the main mixed chorus, both 8
parts.

Robert Ward's "Earth Shall be Fair" has a Unison children's part, but it's
divisi. Optional SATB youth choir as well as mixed adult choir. Publ by
Galaxy, about 26 min.

---

Date: Tue, 11 Apr 1995 10:59:14 -0600 (MDT)
From: "Galen P. Darrough"
Subject: Re: Classy 6th grade chorus lit.

There have been two excellent articles in the Choral Journal with lists
of music for children's voices that contain lots of unison selections.
One is "Classical Music for Children's Voices" by Linda Ferriera (sp?)
and it was published in the early '90's, and a more recent one (sorry not
to be specific) by Barbara Tagg. There are reams of wonderful things by
the 19th/20th century English composers. One delightful set is entitled
"Friday Afternoons" by Benjamin Britten, published by Boosey
and Hawkes, #LCB-21. Consider composers such as Gerald Finzi, Michael
Head (The Ships of Arcady is BEAUTIFUL), Ralph Vaughn Williams, etc. Also
- Doreen Rao's series through Boosey and Hawkes is filled with gems,
gems, gems! Good luck!
Galen Darrough
University of Northern Colorado
PVA Music
Greeley, CO 80639
(970) 351-2290

On Sat, 8 Apr 1995, Dean Estabrook wrote:

> After more years of teaching high school than I care to recount, part of my
> latest assignment includes a couple of sixth grade choruses. I find it
> refreshing and exciting, but, I need some help from my choral companions.
> Please direct me towards some classy lit. with the following restrictions:
>
> (1) Range of around middle c to around a ninth higher
> (2) Unison
> (3) Accompanied
>
> I would be forever grateful, as would my students and parents. Thanks
>
> Dean M. Estabrook (desta(a)ychs.ycusd.k12.ca.us.)
>
>
>

---

Date: Sun, 16 Apr 1995 19:11:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Maureen Jais-Mick
Subject: (fwd) Children's Chorale Music (fwd)

Forwarded from a news group.
Maureen

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: shel.ritter(a)syncomm.com (SHEL RITTER)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical


------------------------------------
TREBLE VOCAL RECORDING COLLECTORS
* * *
TVRC BBS
------------------------------------

TVRC, or the Treble Vocal Recording Collectors, is a small group
dedicated to helping people find out more about the obscure world
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knowledge with others involved with treble choir music in one way
or another.

To facilitate this, TVRC is pleased to announce that it has just
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choir activities, treble discography database files, information on
new recording releases, information on foreign and domestic
(U.S.A.) recording sources or information regarding upcoming choir
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contribute to the data already on file.

For those who are interested in recordings by specific choirs,
there are four discographies presently online at TVRC BBS with
over 3500 entries of recordings from recent CD releases to older
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individual contributors to the TVRC catalog. Soon all of the
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There is a small conferencing area on TVRC BBS were people may
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as well as an area where used recordings can be posted for
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For those who are interested in receiving discographies, articles,
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address messages to:

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-- SPEED 1.40 [NR]: Evaluation day 69...

---

Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 10:55:25 -0500
From: Peter Hobbs
Subject: Children's Choir Repertoire SUMMARY

On March 23 I posted the following request:

A Toronto friend, conductor of an accomplished children's choir, seeks
suggestions for repertoire of 8-25 min. in length for children's choir and
orchestra, with or without added dramatic effects. Choir members can read
music quite well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
Here is a summary of responses:

Monica Hubbard was the first to reply, with the excellent advice that:
"Anyone with any questions about choral music, including repertoire, should
first check the ChoralNet web site . It is an
invaluable resource for all choral matters, including finding repertoire."

(Before making my posting, I had already checked that listing and found
several possibilities... but wanted more.)

Other replies:

Britten: Psalm 150 (Michael Lisi )

Isaacson: Cradle of Fire got 2 mentions:

(1) I strongly recommend "Cradle of Fire", holocaust songs arr. by Michael
Isaacson, published by Transcontinental. Yiddish, English, Hebrew texts, ca.
20 minutes, up to 4-pt writing. Emotionally very strong. My women's chorus
did it (with piano only) and I haven't found anything so powerful since.
(Mary Lycan)

(2) I recommend CRADLE OF FIRE by Michael Isaacson. There are five settings of
Holocaust Songs for Treble Choir and Orchestra. The publisher is
Transcontinental. (Hillary Colton)

Randall Thompson's PLACE OF THE BLEST
Schubert's MASS IN G (Plymouth has an SSA Version)
Mozart's MASS IN C (An SSAA version I just finished for my choir and
performed a year ago)
(John L. Davis)

You might be interested in my EARTHSONGS, pulished by Boosey and
Hawkes. The work is 9 minutes, in three movements (without pause):
The World is Full of Poetry (William Gates Percival, a 19th c.
geologist), In Safety and Bliss (Buddhist Sutta Nipata), and We Join
with the Earth and With Each Other (United Nations Environmental
Sabbath program). The scoring is for children's voices (mostly 2
part, but splits to 4 in the last movement) with full orchestra. The
orchestra parts are available on rental from B and H.
(David L. Brunner )