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Treble: Masterworks for Elementary School Choirs
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 09:11:11 PDT
From: "Craig Hawkins" Subject: Elementary School Music compilation Dear colleagues -- I hope no one ahs been holding their breath for this compilation. It is from a request I posted last August for "Classical" repetoire for an elementary school-aged ensemble. Many thanks to all who contributed. A list of contributors appears at the end. ------------------------- Check the Doreen Rao series published by Boosey and Hawkes. She also has a comprehensive choral performance curriculum published in the textbook, _We Will Sing_, also published by Boosey. Check also the Toronto Children's Choir Series edited by Jean Ashworth Bartle, Gordon V. Thompson publishers; the Mary Goetze series published by Oxford. There is much quality repertoire to be found on the ChoralNet Web Site as well. -------------------------- >Look at Doreen Rao's series published by Boosey and Hawkes.> -------------------------- Last year, I ran accross the Messiah for young voices in my JW Pepper catalogue. Also, Shawnee press just presented a few classical pieces composed for 3 part. I teach middle school, and I often adapt harder arrangements for my beginning choirs. Just choose which 2 parts you want them to sing. Sometimes these pieces work well in unison. ------------------------- Besides my University work and conducting the Oahu Choral Society and Hawai'i Vocal Arts Ensemble, I teach a 5th-8th grade choir at the Honolulu Waldorf School. We do mostly classical music, mostly original, not arrangements. Best of luck to you. A partial list below: Purcell: Sound the trumpet Humperdinck: Prayer from Hansel and Gretel Vivaldi: Gloria and Laudamus te Bach: Wir eilten (Cantata 78) Mozart: Ave verum corpus Schubert: Benedictus from Mass in G ------------------------- The Gordon Thompson catalogue has some wonderful arrangements for treble voices of classical pieces. Jean Ashworth Bartle is responsible for many of the pieces in this great catalogue. Check it out. Of course, the Choristers Guild catalogue has some fine classical treble pieces, too. ------------------------- Doreen Rao has several arrangements of traditional choral works in her "Choral Music Experience" series, published by Boosey & Hawkes. There are too many to list here, but Boosey could provide you with some titles. She has included a couple of Bach duets, the "Pie Jesu" from Faure's Requiem, Mozart's "Laudate Dominum," etc. In addition, her textbook "We Will Sing" includes some other standards. The book is aimed at the elementary music class and/or choir, and has a lot of good pieces to choose from. ------------------------- Have you looked at Hal Hopson's arrangements? He has done some really nice work with two and three part settings of "classic" literature. ------------------------- Their are several arrangements of Franck's "Panis Angelicus" (O Lord Most Holy). These usually include a unison statement to open the piece, then a simple 2-pt. canon of the melody. I think Hal Hopson arranged the piece. I'll suggest further when I have a chance to check my reference octavos. ------------------------- Craig ... get your hands on a Boosey and Hawkes catalogue and look up the Doreen Rao series for children's choirs. You will find something there. Also, the B&H series edited by Mary Goetze is excellent. Good luck! ------------------------- My husband and I were very successful for many years--we're now retired--with childrens' choirs, and we found art songs by such composers as Schubert, Schumann, etc., to be very useful. Also, Benjamin Britten writes very nicely for children. You might browse through a large music store's collections for such things as duets, or two-part compositions appropriate for elementary school age folks. There are Kodaly pieces for children, and there is a collection called "Bicinia Americana" (I think) which has some nice compositions in it. Good luck to you in your search for quality repertoire. ------------------------- How about Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus or Palistrina's Adoramus Te? Both can be found in 2 part arrangements and fit well with the young voices. I try to do "classics" in the original language (in this case Latin) which softens the religious aspect which in New England we have to be careful of. Also, Mozart wrote a wonderful 3 part setting of The Alphabet which is really nice. There are also decent arrangements of The Magic Flute, The Trout and although not entirely from the realm of the greats, Frederic Silver's Mr. Bach is a good 2 part introduction to Baroque style. He's also done Mr. Mozart, and others, but Bach's my favorite. There are even a couple of transcriptions of the Hallelujah Chorus adapted for young voices. I try to program one classical piece and a couple of folk songs to counter balance the pop stuff. After awhile, even though the parents in the audience tend to favor the familiar pop songs, the kids themselves begin to appreciate quality literature. Good Luck! ------------------------- I am aware of a series of classics for young voices although I think they are all major works. Here is what is listed on the back of my "Christmas Messiah for Young Voices:" Classic Choruses for Young Voices (IMGC9301) Easter Messiah for Young Voices (IMGC9501) Elijah for Young Voices (IMGC9401) Gloria for Young Voices -Vivaldi (IMGC9201) and the one I have Christmas Messiah for Young Voices (IMGC9101) I think these are all edited (arranged?) by Dr Tim Sharp and DR Vernon Whaley. They are for two part voices. The publisher is Integra. ------------------------- Actually, just this past spring I put on a "Masterworks" concert with my 4th and 5th grade choir. Not all of them were "purely" classical, but here's our program: The Singers - Ralph Vaughan Williams The Sandman - Johannes Brahms, arr. Gallina Non Nobis Domine - William Byrd (performed by a small select ensemble) Mozart's Messy Room Sonata - W.A. Mozart, arr. Wolfe (based on the Sonata in C) Art Thou Troubled? - G.F. Handel, ed. Bartle Operatunities - Mary Donnelly, arr. Strid (a compilation of favorite opera tunes) If you need any additional info on these pieces, let me know and I'd be happy to help! ------------------------- Though I'm not an elem teacher, the one that comes to mind is the Jill Gallina piece (title escapes me right now) that contains Ode to Joy, and maybe another melody. It's worth checking out. (I hope this is not the one to which you refer...) Also, Doreen Rao/Boosey and Hawkes puts out wonderful 2 part arrangements for elem. school (they also write some more difficult 3 and 4 part treble pieces as well), though not specifically classical pieces. [They are of very high quality...] ------------------------- There is a lot of good music not of the pop genre. Take a look at Natalie Sleeth pieces. She has lots of good 2 part music available. Hinshaw, I think. ------------------------- Craig, Boosey & Hawkes has a unison Brhams piece entitled "Marienwurmchen" (Ladybug) which can be sung in German or English. P.S. B & H also has a unison version of Aaron Copland's "Ching-a-Ring Chaw." ------------------------- You could take a look at Theron Kirk's arrangement of a Handel chorus. It's under the title "Sing His Praise" published by Coronet 392-41945 in the Multi-Chorus Series. A little more difficult, but also for Multi-Chorus, is Jean Martin's arrangement of Mendelssohn's "But the Lord Is Mindful of His Own" from the oratorio "St. Paul". ------------------------- Get your hands on the J. Pepper catalog. They are also on-line (I don't have the addresss here) Good luck! ------------------------- There is a 4 pt. canon by Mozart to which a modern text has been added that is quite suitable for young voices. ("Friends forget the cares that bore us... is one version of that text.) It should be found in some elementary music texts. I don't know if its published but the tune should be in public domain. ------------------------- David Stocker has done a wonderful arrangement of a baroque piece for treble voices. Entitled "French Noel" it is published by Thomas House Publications (1C0368602). ------------------------- In response to your search for quality music for young singers. D. Rao's Choral Experience repertoire is top notch. Music of the masters as well as new music written for developing choirs is available. A collection called the Julliard Repertory Library is available from West Music and is filled with wonderful music. You might also consider your MENC State Chapter to see if they have a list of appropriate music. Good Luck! ------------------------- You've got to try "Heart's Adoration" by Marcello. It's written for 2 parts and gives chances for all voices to sing the melody. Gorgeous!! It's by Oxford Easy Anthems. Also, you must try "Praise The Lord, Our God, Forever" by Mozart. This is arranged by Walter Ehret. Make sure you ask for the two part arrangement. It is called a "concert round" but it really offers more than that. ------------------------- My all-time favorite for this age is Handel's "Give Thanks and Praise" (2pt.) published by Celebrations Unlimited (P.O. Box 30775, Columbus OH 43230)--Cu-177. Another good collection is Three Mozart Canons, but I unfortunately do not have a copy of this at home to give you all the particulars. Another good title is "Songs of a Starry Night" (it's a weaving of two or three Texas folksongs)--I think the arranger is Crocker. ------------------------- I don't know if there are choral arrangements, but every kid knows piano variations *baby song* at first, but if you show them what Mozart did with it, and maybe invite them to suggest some contemporary variations (one of Mozart's sounds like hip hop!) , they could help you write it (maybe with new lyrics). It could be a great participatory experience for them in composition and give them some insight into how composers--even *dead white guys*--sometimes worked. They wouldn't have to learn the tune, either. And if you are doing a concert, think how an *original* classical piece would be received by parents! ------------------------- Have you considered Jean Berger's "Child's Book of Beasts?" There may be an "A" or "The" in the title. I've done it with high school women and sixth grade treble chorus. Both groups loved it. There are many things in the Henry Leck series for treble, young choir. You might consider the 3pt "South African Freedom Songs", there are two sets that are similar. One has "Siyahamba," the other has "Singabahamba." Also, the Doreen Rao series is geared for treble choir. I have seen many other classical pieces in two part. Try Mozart or Schubert. Some other tried and true pieces off the top of my head are: "Panis Angelicus," "With Songs of Rejoicing" (Bach), "The Water is Wide," "Velvet Shoes" (Thompson). "Niska Banja," and "Praise Ye the Lord of Hosts" (Saint-Saens) A good resource in Tennessee is Madeline Bridges at Middle Tennessee State University. Don't know her email, but I'm sure you can find it. ------------------------- Contributors: Natalie Pessin Bliss Marketing Director Theodore Presser Company Sixthmuse1(a)AOL.com Elizabeth Jonathan Veenker Associate Professor of Music Bethel College Vern Sanders Norma Browning Carolyn Lokken Jon Sprague JONSPRAGUE(a)aol.com Ann Carter Lisa Howe Choral Director West High Knoxville, TN elhowe(a)icx.net ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com |
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