Thanks to all for your help. Here is my original query plus responses:

My adult mixed choir has been asked to perform at a new concert hall
>dedication. I am considering Vaughan Williams "Serenade to Music". Any
>additional sugguestions. Possible accompaniment is piano, organ or
>perhaps chamber orchestra. I will compile and post responses. Many
>thanks.

Robert Bowker
bbowker(a)mediaone.net

There is a fine work by L. Pfautsch entitled "Miusick's Empire" which I
would
recommend to you for a building dedication. You will like the text.
The
work is a cappella, but worthy of a good ensemble. I think it is
published
by Schirmer/Leonard, but don't quote me on that fact!

Best of luck.

Bob Boyd
Lyons Township High School
La Grange, Illinois

I would advocate doing the *Serenade* **ONLY** if orchestra is
available--I've heard it done with keyboard, and it's disappointing.

Three thoughts if chamber orchestra is available:

Britten: *The Building of the House* (SATB, varible orchestrations)
(Boosey)

Michael Hurd: *Music's Praise* (SATB, str) (Novello)--Accessible, not
hard,
and virtually unknown in America (you may wind up with a US premiere!)

My own *Of Arts and Elements*--SATB div., 3 trpts (3 trbs ad lib),
piano, 2
perc, str (min 3-3-2-2-1) on an original text by Charles Crawford
likening
Music, Drama, and Dance to, respectively, the ancient elements of Air,
Fire,
and Water; Earth is represented by the stage/building itself. This was
commissioned by my old HS for the dedication of their new performing
arts
complex in 1999, so it is 100% accessible music. I can send a tape of
the
premiere and a vocal score if this might be of interest; it would be
only the
second performance (1st if you use the trb parts!).

Please let me know if the above is of interest, and I hope this helps--

Happy New Year/Century/Millennium!

Robert A.M. Ross, Artistic Director
Voces Novae et Antiquae
Philadelphia, PA
VocNovEtAn(a)aol.com


Vaughan Williams' "Lord Thou HAst Been Our Refuge" is another great
dedication
anthem unless you want to stay secular.


How about Behold I build an house by Lukas Foss?

Janet Yamron, Associate Dean
Temple University
Boyer College of Music
Philadelphia, PA 19122

First thing that comes to my mind is Bruckner's "Locus Iste" which is a
gradual for the dedication of a church. Don't know if it's appropriate
for
your context, but it's a great piece, not too difficult, but beautiful
to
sing and listen to.

Ann Wells
K-6 general music
Cherokee County, GA

Ben Allaway's Freedom Come: Inside These Walls, Santa Barbara Music
Publishing

Also "Joys of the Temple" Ben Allaway, for choir and organ or 4-hand
piano.
available from LMNOP Publications, 515-288-8883 or benlmnop(a)aol.com

Also "From This House" by Ben Allaway, Santa Barbara Music Publishing

Ben Allaway
LMNOP Publications
Des Moines, IA
benlmnop(a)aol.com


"Behold I Build an House" by Lukas Foss is an excellent piece for choir
and piano. Very powerful.

Paul Olsen, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Salem Oregon

Let me re-post the answer from the late beloved Wally Collins:

>Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 10:18:41 -0600 (MDT)
>From: Walter Collins
>Subject: Re: ANTHEMS FOR CHURCH DEDICATION
>
>Let me recommend to you "Choral Music for Dedications" by Choralister
>Nina Gilbert. This is issue #144 of the Research Memorandum Series,
May,
>1987, published by the American Choral Foundation and ACDA. It is an
>extensive list of such compositions.
>
>Contact Chorus America (211 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103) for
>copies.
>
>Walter Collins


Update:
Chorus America can now be contacted online at
http://www.chorusamerica.org, and you can find an index (and ordering
instructions) for the Research Memoranda at
http://www.chorusamerica.org/research.html.

Disclaimer:
I have no financial interest in sales of reprints (which I think cost
$2.50), except that I'm glad that my work supports Chorus America.

Hope this helps,

Nina Gilbert

Check out Lukas Foss' Behold I Build An House Quite a powerful
work,
but takes some good work for the choir

Alexander Dashnaw