August 2000 Review
AMCA

Welcome to a new type of review. I have so much new music which I picked up over the last month, that I need to share it with you in a system designed to let me work faster, and for you to be able to read through more quickly, and have the information for ordering each piece.

I spent five days at workshops and stores in selecting what I feel are the best available new publications. If you are not on a publishers list to get their CD's of new publications, please get your name to them. These CD's are great. They don't play an entire song, but they give you an idea of the piece. Unfortunately there are no music scores with the CD's. I received CD's from 5 publishers, listened to them all, selected the songs which I felt would work in our situations, then went to a music store to look at the actual scores. Some were not available so I had to order a few titles. (One publisher told me that we will soon be able to listen to the CD's on our e-mail! No need for them to send anything out.) And I've also been at music reading sessions totaling 5 days, with 2 or 3 more days yet to go.

Some pieces were not available to me in TTBB even though they are published in this voicing, but I have reviewed the SATB versions with the hope that the men's voicing will be just as good. Also, I have included "use" for each title. Maybe you are looking for something in particular. This should help. I have also included the publication year so that you will know --if they were published in 2000--that you have not seen them or have copies of them. I have also tried to give strengths and weaknesses of each piece. However, I do look at them when thinking mainly about my own chorus.

Here they are: and I hope that you find something for your individual chorus this year and for your massed chorus at your 2000-2001 Big Sing. Happy hunting.

DWCrouch, 8-18-00

****I did not see the TBB version
SATB Careers-BMG Music Publishing (no number included) (2000) $1.50
Use: Pop, Afterglow

Positive:
--nice melody line
--possible solo sections
--if your are looking for country western, this is a good one
--great text (love song)
--does include guitar chords

Not so positive:
--piano accompaniment not very exciting: but it does the job
--in this version (SATB) the bass part gets pretty high, and stays there (need to check the TBB edition)

TTBB Orpheus Music Co. #OR-300 (1975 Ashwyn Music) No price listed
Use: Concert

Positive:
--not the melody you expect; same text, different melody
--beautiful long lines; great, but simple melody
--individual parts not that exciting, but they fit together very well
--interesting accompaniment patterns which keep the melody flowing
--sad tale; familiar story taken from the words of Edgar Allan Poe

Not so great:
--Tenor I part at section E has too many notes on the same pitch: boring to sing, but good for the other parts which are on the melody line
--a little too repetitious in the melody line

TTBB Cypress Publishing #CP1028 (1997) (No price listed)
**** New on the Common Repertoire List
Use: Concert, Big Sing

Positive:
--great melody line: smooth, flowing, much like River in Judea
--good unison melody part for all voices
--big, beautiful sound
--accompaniment well done: in places it sounds like the sea

Less than positive:
--a cappella section (but you can use piano anyway)
--both tenor parts have divisi: needs strong voices, or larger numbers
--rather sad or melancholy

TTBB Mark Foster Music #MF1030 (1999) $1.40
Use: Concert, church

Plus:
--great arrangement of an old hymn tune
--gives a new feel to the tune with more contemporary chording
--brass quartet or keyboard accompaniment
--strong unison beginning
--M 35 has a very good canonic section; appealing to the singers
--nice grand ending

Minus:
--keyboard accompaniment would be difficult unless it is an organ
--after M 50 there are two vary short sections (3 measures, 2 measures) which are unaccompanied: could be a problem with the accidentals in the chords

TB (some TTB) BriLee Music #BL255 (2000) $1.40
Use: Pop, concert, afterglow, maybe church

Plus:
--familiar tune in an easy new arrangement
--fun for the singer and the audience
--could put it together in a couple of rehearsals
--optional solo part
--does give the bass part optional lower notes in some sections
--I like the performance notes at the end: let the chorus members read them

Minus:
--familiar melody that maybe is overdone
--high bass part (for the younger singer--I'm doing this with my high school guys this year)

TTBB Kjos Music Company #5575 (1999) $1.30
Use: Concert, Big Sing

Positive:
--great new arrangement: I don't know the arranger, but I hope he keeps up the good work!
--some possible solo sections
--great in a Big Sing situation
--nice passing around of the melody

Not so positive:
--some divisi of 4 parts: would take some pretty strong singers or a large group to do justice to it
--unaccompanied
--Tenor I has a few high A's to contend with

TB Belwin Music #OCT9614 (1996) $1.10
Use: Processional, concert

Plus:
--a cappella, with optional hand drum
--Text from the Ordinary of the Mass
--great processional; can use anywhere
--easy to learn even though in Latin
--four part ending

Minus:
--a bit high in range; put it down a half or whole step
--not a good repeat part if needed; one written in, but very short, only 4 measures
--need to be careful of phrasing; this could end up sounding very chopped up

TTBB Hal Leonard #08703260 (2000) $1.40
Use: Concert, Big Sing

Positive:
--by Keith Christopher--keep this name in mind when looking for new music; has very good materials for men's choruses
--great for a massed chorus selection
--great text: especially for singers
--some contemporary chords which shouldn't stop anyone about the third time through
--M 50 begins a canonic section which is fun, easy, and sounds great, especially with the different rhythmic accompaniment
--big, full ending
--in four different keys, which makes for a very interesting sound

Not so positive:
--the syncopation in the accompaniment could really bog the tempo down

TTB Hal Leonard #08703269 (2000) $1.40
Use: Concert, Military

Positive:
--great concert piece
--can be sung in Latvian -- has pronunciation guide
--opens with an optional solo
--strong text about going off to war: for here in Medieval times, but can fit any similar situation
--a strong piece which is not difficult to learn

Not so positive:
--in TTB: has a nice bass line, but the baritones will have to fend for themselves; they could fit either bass or tenor II--where do you need the most help?
--range a bit high; again for younger changing voices, but still very singable by an adult chorus
--a lot of unison, which can be both good and bad

TB BriLee Music #BL231 (2000) $1.40
Use: Processional, Concert

Plus:
--a cappella, with optional hand drum and handbells
--a holiday processional
--starts in unison for a strong beginning
--easy melody to learn
--harmonic parts not hard
--good introduction to this type of music

Minus:
--put it in a lower key (this is really for younger voices, but still works very well)
--short for a processional; has a repeated part but not very interesting

TTBB Mark Foster Music Company #MF1031 (1999) $1.40
Use: Concert, church, military

Positive:
--familiar hymn melody
--good, interesting part writing
--verses treated differently: not all the same style
--good vocal ranges
--beautiful soft, sustained ending

Some problems:
--unaccompanied sections will probably have to have parts played
--high "A" for Tenor I (long, sustained at end)

TTBB Hinshaw Music #HMC-1770 (2000) $1.75
Use: Concert, pop, afterglow, Big Sing

Plus:
--great new arrangement of an old song
--tambourine, woodblock, bass parts available
--fun for both audience and singers
--lots of unison tenor line, then bass line, but still good four part sections

Not so good:
--some stomp and clap
--we just had a new arrangement two years ago: too soon to do it again
--rhythms may stop some groups (not easy)
--five different key signatures: takes a great accompanist

TTB Kimmel Publications #K302 (1993) $1.10
Use: Concert, Afterglow, Pop

Positive:
--Dan Krunnfisz; arranges for younger men and boys, and does some really great treatments of traditional tunes
--familiar melody
--some rhythmic surprises
--piano optional (a lower key would help)
--some great little rhythmic surprises make it interesting (singers be ready!)
--fun for both the singer and the audience

Not really positive:
--again, written for the younger singer; sing a cappella and put it down a step in pitch
--accompaniment is of the "ohm pah" variety; not the lease bit interesting (does help them stay on pitch)

TTB Hal Leonard #08201245 (2000) $1.50 also ShowTrax
Use: Pop, Afterglow

Positive:
--familiar pop/rock melody: the chorus will like it
--strong audience appeal
--easy parts to learn
--baritone can sing the Tenor II part, and they will like it because they have the melody most of the time
--simple accompaniment
--does have taped accompaniment

Not so positive:
--range is high: originally for a younger group: tenor part is fine, bass is high, and no baritone
--only three parts, and two of them are tenor (Baritone sing Tenor II)
--accompaniment does not help support the voice line (although they may not need it with this tune!)

(from Ten Biblical Songs, Op. 99)
1. I will Sing New Songs of Gladness (Based on Psalms 144 & 145)
2. God Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

TBB Hal Leonard #08721751 (1990) $1.50
Use: Pop, Afterglow

Positive:
--recorded by "The Righteous Brothers"
--great for a nostalgia section of a concert (originally published in 1955)
--easy to learn
--single tenor part with bass and baritone
--familiar melody
--mostly two part with three parts at the ends of phrases: makes it easier to learn
--this is the type of music many choruses are looking for

Not so positive:
--voices have to sing eighth notes over triplets in the accompaniment--not the easiest
--limited parts
--not really that exciting an arrangement as you might want from this familiar tune; check closely before using

TTB Shawnee Press #C 0306 (2000) $1.40
Use: Afterglow, pop

Positive:
--familiar melody with a great arranger
--passes the melody around
--fun (corny)
--has optional marching
--has whistling
--optional solo part
--accompaniment not too difficult (especially coming from John Leavitt)

Not so positive:
--TTB (split tenor)
--high bass part: meant for a younger voice

TTBB Hal leonard #08742351 (2000) $1.50
Use: Pop, Afterglow (Maybe in concert)

Positive:
--a real country song if you want one (recorded by Aaron Tippin)
--easy to learn; some good unisons, and repeated parts
--interesting accompaniment, which can also include a violin or ShowTrax
--great message
--guitar chords included
--full violin part included

Slight problems:
--ends with too much accompaniment and not enough voice
--printed directions missleading in M55 & 56 (watch part line)

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Since 8 Jun 2001