Dear Choral Readers:

Thanks you again for all the suggestions. Below are many of then and my
favorites;

1.Seranade Schubert
2. The Sea is Awash with Roses Cary boyse
3. Call of the Dance Mary Jane Leach
4. Spring Song Naomi Stephen
5. Missa Brevis by Nancy Telfer
6. In Praise of Music David Conte
7. Missa Brevis Ron Jeffers
8. Missa Brevis Britten
9. Mass in G minor Rheinberger
10. Songs of the Light by Inant Ramish
11. Magnificat by Porpora
12. The Chambered Nautilus Amy Beach
13. My heart is ready Yuri Yukechev (8 psalm settings)
14. Paradise Road Song of Survival
15. Litanies A la Vierge noire Poulenc
16. Stabat Mater Pergolesi
17. Gloria Vivaldi
18. South Dakota Shadow Suite Jackson Berkey

Hope this helps--Marilyn Barnes
The Barnes Family cbarnes(a)rt66.com
1119 South Luna Circle
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505)983-4572

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SEVERAL OF YOU ASKED FOR A POST of the SSA extended works compilation -
here goes

Pergolesi Stabat Mater
Faure Messe Basse
Vaughn Williams Magnificat
Micael Haydn - St. Leopold, St. aloysious Masses
Galluppi Dixt Dominus
Spevacek Seasons - adapted
Place of the Blest Randall Thompson
First Person Female Samulel BArab
Brown Penny, Paulus
Earthsongs, Brunner ( from Boosey & Hawkes)

Thank you for your time -
Tom Ajack
Waukesha, Wi
tajac(a)speeddial.net

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Here is the compilation. Thank you everyone who sent me stuff! I've got
works for years! yay!

Christopher Rhodes
Santa Monica High School
Samochoir(a)aol.com

Rheinberger, Josef Mass in A strings and flute
Missa St. Aloysii Haydn, Michael
Missa Brevis in C minor Raminsh, Imant large orchestration
Place of the Blest Thompson, Randall chamber orchestra
Mater in Memorian, For Irene Stephan, Naomi chamber orchestra
Winter Songs Persichetti, Vincent marimba
Sea Faeries Beach, Amy
Three Japanese Lyrics Mado, Micho
Songs Eternity Paulus, Stephen
Ecclesiastes 12 De Pue, Wallace
Garden of Beauty Clausen, Rene
Peace Mass Chilcott, Bob
Cantigas de Amigo Carey, Paul four cellos
Missa #6 Orban, Gyorgy
Four Seasons Vaughan-Williams, Ralph
Magnificat Vaughan-Williams, Ralph
Suddenly Burst out Singing Willsher, Peter
things Walker, Gweneth
Thoughts and Songs Ascent to the Kingdom of Heaven Mendelssohn, Fanny

Three songs of Henry VIII Henry VIII
Garden of Secret Thoughts Ott, David
Earthsongs Brunner, David
Blessed Damosel Debussy, Claude
Landet som icke ar Heinio, Mikko mezzo solo
Hope is the Thing, An Emily Dickinson Suite Diemer, Emma Lou

These are seasonal:
Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest - Conrad Susa
Company at the Creche - Daniel Pinkham
Concierto de Navidad - Paul Csonka
Seven Joys of Christmas - Kirke Mechem
Dancing Day - John Rutter
Stabat Mater - Pergolesi
Fuji - Hovhaness
Mass in honor of Saint Sebastian - Heitor Villa-Lobos
Psalm Trilogy - Srul Irving Glick
The Place of the Blest - Randall Thompson

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Dear Friends,

Many thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions of works for womens'
chorus. A lengthy compilation follows (I decided to include all replies,
even though there are several repeats, as I thought some might be interested
to see what the most popular replies were).


Please consider the Four Hymns of the Rig Veda, Set 3 by Holst.  SSAA
with harp--beautiful and a nice challenge for such a group.

If you want to perform something very different and stunning, look at the
"Stabat mater" by Henk Badings. The Nicolai Porpora "Magnificat" is also a
lovely work for SSAA, chamber strings and continuo. Good luck!

I am a composer of many choral works. I have a piece called "The Sea
Trilogy". It was a commissioned work. The piece is for SSA chorus. It
is accompanied by piano, contrabass and percussion. Also, I have other SSA
choral works that are extremely interesting, too. I would be more than
willing to send you complimentary copies of these compositions. Please
responsd to this email if you would like to receive them.

Thank you.
Denice Rippentrop


Like the Britten and the Pergolesi you cited, Randall Thompson's "The
Place of the Blest" was actually written for boys' voices, but of course
works well for women also. It is a beautiful and moving four-movement
piece with a wonderful chamber-orchestra accompaniment. If you wish to
hear a recording, I can recommend Garden of Beauty by the Atlanta Boy
Choir.

Lajos Bardos has written some exquisite stuff. I have a CD that includes
his Ave Maris Stella in some combination of SSAA, but my chorus recently
sang it SATB. Sounds better with all women in my opinion.

Also Laude alla Vergine (Verdi, 4 Sacred Pieces) is SSAA and gorgeous. A
strong group that can stay on pitch will gobble this up.

I highly recommend the Verdi, Laudi All Vergine Maria. I did it this year
with my Select Women's Ensemble and they loved it...and it's good for them
to do a standard women's choir piece!

Britten: Missa Brevis
Holst: Hymns from the Rig Veda

I wrote a piece, Everyone Suddenly Burst Out Singing, to be performed at the
same concert as Holst's Ave Maria. It is published by Boosey and Hawkes, in
2 versions, and the original SAA was first published by Weinberger's.
You can view the first page at

If you do a set of shorter works, don't forget the late Verdi for women (one
of the set of 4, but I can't remember the subtitle of the set), the one with
the nice a cappella barbershop harmony!

I love Holst's "Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda" (Group 3) - beautiful,
interesting harmonies and interplay between the parts. It is originally for
voices and orchestra, but vocal score includes accompaniment for harp or
piano (we did it successfully with an exceptional pianist). My singers
liked it, too (always a plus, right?!).
-Kelly Hudson

If you have full orchestra available, look at RV Williams' "Folksongs
of the Four Seasons."

There's a related ChoralNet resource:
choralnet.org > Repertoire > by Voicing > SSA or SSAA > Extended works

There are also numerous suggestions for shorter works as well.

Look at the Ralph Vaughan Williams "Magnificat" for mezzo-soprano and
women's chorus. It works nicely with a piano and flute.

What about the Holst Rig Veda Choruses?
The harmony of the morning - Elliot Carter (about 15 minutes long with
chamber orchestra)
Let's be gay - Elliot Carter (about 4 minutes long....with piano accomp.)

There are some gorgeous pieces for 3 part women's chorus and piano by
Brahms's student Gustav Jenner. Can't remember the title.

Am also a big fan of Persichetti - There is a Winter Cantata and I think a
Spring Cantata as well. Both are atmospheric and colorful.

There is a plethora of great music for this genre, however, you many want to
consider "La Damoiselle Elue" by Claude Debussy. Debussy won the GRAND PRIX
of PARIS with this piece, which he wrote when he was young.

It is scored for 2 soloists Mezzo-soprano and soprano, women's chorus and
large orchestra.

There is an orchestral reduction for only 13-piece chamber ensemble by Nils
Vigeland which is superb.

I SUGGEST TWO WORKS:
FÉ, ESPERANZA Y CARIDAD. THREE MOTETS FOR FEMALE CHOIR AND PIANO. COMPOSER:
FELIPE VILLANUEVA
TRES AMBIENTES NOCTURNOS. THREE PIECES FOR FEMALE CHOIR, HARP, GLOCKENSPIEL
AND VIBRAPHONE.COMPOSER: JORGE CÓRDOBA V
Depending on the size of your group (i.e., preferably larger than chamber
choir) I would recommend the series of four cycles, "Loodus pildid" [Nature
Pictures] by Veljo Tormis. Scores from Fennica Gehrman are available with
the original Estonian texts and English singing translations--but I strongly
recommend performing them in Estonian. It's an easy language to pronounce
(though not to understand!) and a pronunciation guide is available, gratis,
from the publisher. I have heard performances of individual cycles by
several American choruses but do not know of a performance here of the
complete series. Unlike Tormis's other series of cycles, "Forgotten People"
and "Estonian Calendar Songs" which are long and may be better received when
one or two cycles are done, rather than the complete series, "Nature
Pictures" are choral miniatures and, I think, can be wonderful in a
performance of all four cycles. Alternately, 1, 2, or 3 of the cycles may
be performed.
1. "Kevadkillud" [Spring Sketches], 6 songs, total time: ca. 4 minutes.
2. "Suvemotiivid" [Summer Motifs], 3 songs, total time: ca. 5 minutes.
3. "Sügismaastikud" [Autumn Landscapes], 7 songs, total time: ca. 9
minutes.
4. "Talvemustrid" [Winter Patterns], 4 songs, total time: ca. 6 minutes

Written in the 1960s, they set texts by 4 different Estonian poets. "Autumn
Landscapes" is probably the cycle most frequently performed because Tormis
arranged it for SATB voices. But the original is for women's voices. There
is no CD presently available of all four cycles, but individual ones have
been recorded.

Orban Miss Bevis

Britten - Missa Brevis in D
Persichetti - Spring Cantata
Orbán - Mass No. 6 for Treble Voices
Porpora - Magnificat
Galuppi - Dixit Dominus
Just about anything for the Venetian ospedali

Litanies a la Vierge Noire, Francis Poulenc

At the risk of promoting my own music, I draw your attention on two pieces
for women choir I composed :
An Alleluia , a difficult piece
And a Salve Regina less difficult

Laudate Dominum [2001, rev. 2006]
a cantata for alto solo, women's voices (SSAA) and orchestra (2222-2210, 2
perc., str.)
Copi, Ambroz (1973)

www.musica.cz (comp - laburda)
www.apimusic.org (laburda)
www.Haas-Koeln.de (laburda)
www.Google (jiri laburda)
www.Yahoo (jiri laburda)



W O R K S F O R W O M E N'S C H O I R B Y J I Ø Í L A B
U R D A

C a n t a t a s a n d M a s s e s
Two letters behind every compositions are identicating the abbreviation in
the following Directory of the publishers.

1. South Bohemian Folk Wedding, Cantata for 2-Voices Choir (SA), Choir-Solo
Voices, Speaker and Piano (and "ad libitum" also for the following possible
instruments: Keyboard-especially with Register of Organ, Vibraphon and
Campana, MG-Tape with the Chime, and Percussions: Piatti, Gran Cassa, 2
Tomtoms, Tamburino, Tamtam, Triangolo, Campana, Campanetta, Vibraphono,
Sonagli, Claves, Guiro, 2 Temple Blocks - all these additional Percussions
can be substituted by the another ones - e.g. by Orff-Percussions etc. or
not used) (Czech) (2001) (36´) - AC
2. You Came to Us, Infant Jesus, range of the 10 Czech and Moravian
Christmas Carols, for 3-Voices Choir (SSA), Choir-Solo Voices and Organ (and
"ad libitum" also for the following possible Instruments: Keyboard -
especially with the Register of Piano, Vibraphono, Celesta, MG-Tape with the
Chime, and Percussions: Piatti, Gran Cassa, Tamburo Piccolo, Triangolo,
Tamburino, 2 Tomtoms, 3 Temple Blocks, Claves and Sonagli) (Czech) (2002)
(17') - AC
3. Haec dies, for Mixed Choir, Organ and Tympany, or with Organ, Tympany
and Strings too (also the arrangement for the Choir SSA, or TTB is for the
disposal) (Latin) (1995,1997) (4´) - GR
4. Missa clara, for 2-3-Voices Choir (SSA or TTB) and Organ (or with the
Strings too) (Latin) (1993,1996) (23´) - HA
5. Missa brevis, for 2-Voices Choir (SA) and Organ (or also for 1 Flute,
Strings and Organ too) (Latin) (2000) (13´) easy - MV
6. Missa in Fa, for Baryton Solo and 3-voices Choir (SSA) a cappella (or
with Organ too (Latin) (1998,2000) (12´) - AC
7. Missa in Es - Rosenbergis, for 4 Solo Voices (SATB), 3-Voices Choir
(SSA) and Organ (Latin) (2001) (20´) - AC

D I R E C T O R Y O F T H E P U B L I S H E R S
AC Alliance Publiations, Inc., P. O. Box 157, 585 County Road Z,
Sinisawa, WI 53824. U.S.A. apimusic(a)dcwis.com

GR Gregorius-Musikverlag, Am Schütthook 83, D-48167 Münster. Germany.

HA Wolfgang G. Haas, P. O. Box 90 07 48, D-51117 Köln. Germany.
info(a)Haas-koeln.de

MV Musica viva, Rù¾ová 11, CZ-350 01 Cheb. Czechia.


would strongly recommend:
Litanies a la Vierge Noire - Francis Poulenc
SSA Choir with Organ or Orchestra. 9-10 minutes long.

In addition to being a terrific piece it's easily available from the US
distributor..Choral scores are 3.50 and Full Scores are 11.95.

Diemer - Mass
Britten - Missa Brevis
Major/Major Wm. Schumann Concerto on Old English Rounds for Viola,
Women's Chorus and Orchestra (1973)

Consider "A Jubilant Song - Norman Dello Joio"

Tou might want to take a look at Holst's Hymns to the Rig Veda.

Check out the sets of *Hymns from the Rig Veda* (Holst) (Galaxy/ECS) for
women's choir; also Alan Hovhaness' *Fuji* (Peters) (SSA, fl, hp,
strings--I've never heard of a performance of it anywhere in the last 30 or
more years) and the Stravinsky *Cantata* (Boosey) (ST soli [T has to be
excellent], SSA, 2 fl, 2 ob [1 d EH], vc)

Two pieces I would suggest are Poulenc's Litanies a la Vierge Noir and
Langlais'
little-known Corpus Christi. (I did my dissertation on French music for
women's
choir.) The Poulenc is very typical of his writing, and challenging in
spots
because of the dissonance approached by leaps. Corpus Christi is in mixed
meter
(eighth notes stay equal throughout) without time signatures, but is very
chantlike and a joy to sing (as is are the Litanies). Without having my
dissertation in front of me, I think the total time for the two pieces would
be
18-20 minutes. They are both written for organ accompaniment; the chamber
orchestra accompaniment to the Poulenc is also lovely. They require a
versatile
French-style organ and an excellent organist, which I believe you would have
no
trouble finding at Hartt.

Amy Beach, _The Chambered Nautilus_. The recent piano-voical edition from
Hildegard Press is presumably (since Sylvia Glickman's death and the
transfer of Hildegard titles) available from Presser.

Beach's other cantatas (_The Sea-Fairies_; _The Rose of Avontown_) are worth
doing--I've don'e 'em all--but _The Chambered Nautilus_ is my favorite and I
think the best.

Orchestral score and parts are, I believe, available from the New England
Conservatory.

You might also want to look at Lana Walter's _Magnificat_: SSSAAA a
cappella, about 13 minutes. Published by moi, a/k/a Treble Clef Music Press,
www.trebleclefpress.com. Or Emma Lou Diemer, "Hope Is The Thing," 5 settings
of Emily Dickinson poems, ditto, ditto.

… I send preliminary information about my current female-voices project,
Life Cycle, below.

If you'd like additional details, just let me know.

Sincerely,
Judith Lang Zaimont
www.jzaimont.com

Many thanks to all,

Ethan Nash
nashethan(a)hotmail.com