Text: Sara Teasdale
SATB and Piano
Duration 4 mins
Composer Russell Hepplewhite visits the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to introduce his latest choral piece 'I know the stars' for SATB and piano recently added to our Choral Now series.
Commissioned by Noctis Chamber Choir and recently recorded Sonoro Choir.
Printed sheet music is available to buy from your usual music dealer, or for download here: https://stainer.co.uk/shop/cn43/
A new recording by Sonoro has just been released for streaming: https://open.spotify.com/album/2vr8zs...
Copyright © Stainer & Bell. All rights reserved.
Text: Eugene Field
SSA
Duration 10 mins
The Death of Robin Hood composed by Russell Hepplewhite performed live in London by the Trinity Boys Choir conducted by David Swinson with Rebecca Hepplewhite (cello)
Commissioned by Trinity Boys Choir
First Performance: St Mary-at-Hill Church London (March 2015)
Aren’t all children (and many adults) fascinated by Robin Hood? The myth, the folklore and of course the moral dilemma he poses as to whether it is ever right to steal from the rich to give to the poor. For all these reasons I had always wanted to compose a piece about him, and so when Trinity Boys Choir commissioned a new work from me in 2013, I found the ideal text by Eugene Field. The language of the poem is wonderfully accessible to young singers, and although it is a sad text, the words are actually as much about friendship and the beauty and power of the natural world as they are about the final moments of Robin Hood. For my setting the choir divides into three vocal lines and is accompanied by a solo cello. Young voices are the purest of all, and in this work I wanted to showcase their clarity and natural transparency. The singers narrate the scene, while the cello both supports and adds further commentary between certain lines and verses. Some of the melodic writing is angular and jagged, to reflect the tension and the heightened emotional state being described. I had even imagined the sound of the cello as being like a ghostly echo of the voice of Robin Hood himself. For some of the more dramatic images that drive the poem forward – the bow and arrow, for example – the choir combine and punch out the words in rhythmic unison. In contrast, they weave around each other in polyphony when singing about the natural world – the babbling brook, the birds singing and the wild flowers of the forest. Towards the end of the poem, Robin Hood is placed in a marble vault in the forest and the choir eventually fall silent. A solo singer concludes the tale, and then with just one final plucked note from the cello the piece disappears into silence and the listener is left to contemplate all that has just been told.
© Russell Hepplewhite
Text: David Owen-Bell
SATB
Duration 3 mins
A carol for Christmastide
Commissioned by Tempo 1 Press
Published by Tempo 1 Press, Chicago
Choral Inspirations: Six new commissions inspired by six choral classics Visit http://www.sonoromusic.com
How lovely are thy dwellings fair, O Lord of Hosts.
My soul ever longeth yea fainteth for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.
Blest are they that in thy house are dwelling.
They ever praise thee, ever more!
Sonoro Neil Ferris, conductor
Available on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and Resonus Classics.
Published by Banks Music from 13 June 2019 http://www.banksmusicpublications.co.uk
Text: Eugene Field
SATB
Duration 2 mins
First Performance by Highgate Choral Society (Dec 2016) Published by Banks Music Publications http://www.banksmusicpublications.co.uk
Text from Biblical Psalm
SATB & Organ
Duration 3 mins
Commissioned by the Arcubus Ensemble
First Performance at St Mary le Bow Church (September 2016)
Text: Lucy Maud Montgomery
SATB
Duration 3 mins
This performance is by the Waynflete Singers at Winchester Cathedral on the 7th December 2018, conducted by Andrew Lumsden.
Commissioned and First Performance by Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School Barnes (Dec 2018)
Text from Latin Mass
SSA
Duration 3 mins
Sung here by members of The Beauregard Youth Choir, directed by Vicki Beauregard.
First Performance at the Brandeburg Choral Festival (September 2016)
Text: Christina Rossetti
SSA and Piano
Duration 3 mins
Sung here by members of the Beauregard Youth Choir, Cheltenham.
Published by Oxford University Press in an upper voices collection: 'As You Sing'
Texts: Rossetti, Bronte, Teasdale, Dickinson, Lovell
SA and Organ
Duration 12 mins
Live Recording from World Premiere performance sung by the Girls' Choir & Girl's Concert Choir at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music. Conducted by Joy Hill with Organ played by Graham Thorpe.
Commissioned and first performance by Royal College of Music combined Girls Choirs, at the RCM London (24th March 2018)
Text: Henry Vaughan
SATB
Duration 2 mins
First Performance by Barnes Choir (Dec 2016)
Text: Hymn books of Cologne (1623) and Strasbourg (1697)
SATB
Duration 2 mins
First Performance by Wimbledon Choral Society (Dec 2016)
Text from Latin Mass
SATB & Organ
Duration 7 mins
Sung by St Cyprian's Singers & conducted by Julian Collings
Commissioned by the Contempo Ensemble First Performance: Church of Notre-Dame, Pontorson, France (July 2013)
Text: Responsory for Mattins on Christmas Day
SATB (8 part)
Duration 4 mins
Sung by St Cyprian's Singers & conducted by Julian Collings
Commissioned by the St Cyprian's Singers London
First Performance: St Mary-at-Hill Church London (March 2015)
Text: W.B. Yeats
SATB
Duration 10 mins
1. When you are old
2. A drinking song
3. The everlasting Voices
Sung by St Cyprian's Singers & conducted by Julian Collings
Commissioned by the Contempo Ensemble
First Performance: St Mary-at-Hill Church London (March 2015)
Text from Latin Mass
SATB & piano duet
Duration 7 mins
Recorded by The St Cyprian's Singers, with Melanie Jones and Russell Hepplewhite (piano duet) and conducted by Julian Collings.
Commissioned by the St Cyprian's Singers London
First Performance: St Mary-at-Hill Church London (March 2015)
Text: William Blake selected poems
SATB
Duration 11 mins
I Introduction
II The Sick Rose
III The Fly
IV The Shepherd
V Spring
Performed by the Contempo Ensemble directed by Julian Collings
Commissioned by the Contempo Ensemble First Performance: Church of Notre-Dame, Pontorson, France (July 2013)
Text: Christina Rossetti
SATB (8 part) & piano
Duration 7 mins
Performed by the St Cyprian's Singers conducted by Julian Collings.
Commissioned by the St Cyprian's Singers London
First Performance: St Mary-at-Hill Church London (March 2015)
An Easter Carol
Text: Christina Rossetti
SATB & Organ
Duration 3 mins
First Performance: Lucis Choir
Published by Banks Music Publications
Christmas Carol
Text: Sara Teasdale
SATB, SSA, Brass quintet, Organ
Duration 2 mins
First Performance by Cheltenham Bach Choir & Onyx Brass (Dec 2016)
The Music of the Spheres
Text from various Shakespeare plays
Trebles and 2 solos
Duration 10 mins
Commissioned by Trinity Boys Choir for 50th Anniversary Concert
First Performance at Glyndebourne Opera House (March 2016)
Chinese Premiere at Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre (October 2016)
Two of Three Angels
Texts: Various
SSAATTBB, String Trio and Piano
Duration 30 mins
Commissioned and first performance by Highgate Choral Society (1st July 2017)
Carmina Divina
Text: Rossetti, Wordsworth, Coleridge-Taylor and others.
SATB, Solo Soprano/Baritone/Tenor, Solo Children, Two Pianos, Percussion
Duration 22 mins
Commissioned by the Barnes Choir London
First Performance: Barnes Festival (March 2015)
It was Born of the Stars
For children's choir and solos
Duration 15 mins
Commissioned by Glyndebourne Opera
First Performance: Glyndebourne Opera House (December 2012)
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