Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 21:30:54 -0500
From: "Ronald R Weiler II"
Subject: SSAA and Strings
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Thanks to all who replied to my request. Here's a compilation of what I
got:
---
Pergolesi Stabat Mater (originally solo SA, I believe). **((This was
suggested SEVERAL time))**
---
Wish you could do Elliot Carter's "The Harmony of Mourning" for the forces
you mention. But, it is much too difficult. What a wonderful composition!
Sorry I cannot think of an appropriate answer; I just had to mention this
work to you in case you do not know it.
Bill Bullock
---
Michael haynd has several fine wroks for treble choir and strings. Among
them, an "ave maria" in F-major. There are many others. Schubert has some
lovely items as well
Jeffrey Jones-ragona
Austin TX
---
Although this piece doesn't really fit your bill, have you tried Elgar's
"The
Snow?" It's scored for SSA, 2 violins, and piano, and it's gorgeous -- my
girls loved it.
Ann Foster
---
As I read your message I am listening to Holst Seven Part Songs, Op.44 for
soprano solo, women's voices and strings.
Wonderful music and not too difficult.
The recording I have is Chandos 9437
Rozario Hickox London Symphony Chorus etc.
Simon Carrington
---
Pergolesi Stabat Mater
Delibes Messe Breve
Thompson Place of the Blest
Anything by Michael Haydn
Dan Krunnfusz
---
one of the most beautiful pieces for treble choir and strings that i have
ever heard is the Magnificat by Nicoli Porpora. I have heard a cathedral
girls choir perform it with strings. it is fabulous.
mark vuorinen
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Look seriously at "The Place of the Blest" by Randall Thompson.
It was a great success for us last year!
David V. Hinck
---
You might look into some of the Venetian 'opedali' repertoire
like Popora, Galuppi, etc. The Popora MAGNIFICAT is wonderful.
There is a delightful piece by John Gardner, something about
Shakespeare. I enjoyed doing it a few years ago. Mathis
SALVADOR MUNDI is charming for Xmas. Good luck. jim laster
---
P.S. Forgot to mention the Vaughan Williams MAGNIFICAT, which
requires a good soloist; and the Debussy LA DAMOSEL ELU. You
could do the last movement of the Debussy FETES (Sirens, too)
jimlaster
---
Forgot to include "Salvator Mundi" by William Mathias.
SSA, piano duet, percussion and strings. Oxford Pub.
Dan Krunnfusz
---
I suppose someone has suggested the Galuppi: Dixit Dominus (ed. David
Larson: Roger Dean) It's in three movements, about 12 minutes total -- good
for HS singers, and for HS orchestras who can play scales in flat keys in
tune -- (it's in E flat major)
All the best, Clayton Parr
---
I have a children's choir, and I have found that anything by John Rutter
works
well. I believe most of his octavos are available for orchestra. We have had
particularly great success with: All Things Bright And Beautiful and Donkey
Carol, both by Rutter.
Jena Dickey
---
Seven Part songs for women's voices...G. Holst
beautiful
david kowalczyk
---

Thanks for all your wonderful input. I'll be posting a compilation of the
question about the H.S. concerts soon. I got oodles of responses on that
one


************************************************************************

Ronald R. Weiler II (email: rweiler(a)monumental.com)
Home Page: (http://www.monumental.com/rweiler)
= = Asst. Choral Dir., Gar-Field High School
(http://www.monumental.com/garfield)
Choral Dept. Page: (http://www.monumental.com/rweiler/garfield)
Woodbridge, Virginia
= = General Class Amateur Radio operator (N8NEV)
= = To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you
walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?"
You can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."
************************************************************************

---

Dear Listers:

Here's a compilation (slightly edited to save space)
regarding Women's
Rep with Strings. Great ideas - now I have too much to
choose from!

_______________________
I am not sure to answer correctly to your question but I
like very much
the "Petite Liturgie" of Olivier Messiaen. Of course it
requires more
that a string orchestra. There are also† very intersting
choral pieces
for women's choirs in Maurice Ohana music. Ohana is a
wonderfull
composer completely unknown in the anglo-saxon world due
to his refusal
of serialism and fight with Boulez.
_______________________
Here's some of my favorites:

Te Deum, Giacomo Puccini (1712-1781) (strings only)

Stabat Mater, Pergolesi (strings only)

Place of the Blest, Thompson (strings & winds)---great!

Psalm 137,† An den Wassern zu Babylon, Franz Liszt
for mezzo soprano, violin, harp, organ and women's chorus

Missa pro defunctis, Francesco Brusa (c. 1700-1768)

Gloria, Antonio Vivaldi
_______________________
You should look at Porpora's Magnificat for treble voices
and strings.
It is lovely and published by Marks Music/Hal Leonard.
_______________________
Look at "The Harmony of Morning" by Elliott Carter. Can't
remember if
it is
just string orchestra though. Wonderful work.
_______________________
If you want something gorgeous and in English, try Treble
Clef's
TC-205, "Out in the Rain", by Brian Galante, on Christina
Rossetti's
"Easter Monday" poem.† It's a meditation on a graveyard,
leading to an
acceptance of death, and so is not exactly punchy in mood,
but
inspiring. It has some nice canonic work and eighth note
passages which
liven it up.† You can preview it, and listen to most of a
MIDI file, at
the website:† www.trebleclefpress.com

Also a SA + piano setting of Psalm 23, in French or
English, by James
G. Smith--absolutely hypnotically gorgeous "L'Eternel est
mon berger".
________________
How about Schubert's "23rd Psalm, for SSAA Chorus and harp?
_______________________
Seems to me that one of the Verdi "Four Sacred Songs"--Ave
Maria?--is
for a cappella women. Nice barbershop harmony, too!
_______________________
My womens choir just performed Fissingers' The Lamb with a
string
quartet...its a must do!
_______________________
AN EMILY DICKINSON SUITE for women's chorus and piano
that Treble
Clef Press recently published.
_______________________
You could do some of the Pergolesi Stabat Mater
_______________________
If you can add a flute & harp to your strings, check out
Alan Hovhaness'
*Fuji* (C.F. Peters)--no one ever does it, and it's
ravishing!
_______________________
The Pergolesi "Stabat Mater" is a beautiful piece, in just two parts,
often
done with just soloists, but also often divided between solo and choral
sections. Stabat Mater, O quam tristis, the allegro of Quis est homo?,
Fac
ut ardeat cor meum, Quando corpus morietur, and Amen work well as choral
section. This is really a must for women with strings.

Good luck!

John Delorey
Director of Choral Activities
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Mass
jfd(a)wpi.edu
508-831-5051
Assistant Conductor
The Boston Conservatory
Boston, Mass