Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection

Music played an enormous role in the works of William Shakespeare, while his own sonnets, poems and soliloquies have provided continuing inspiration for many composers through the years.The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, inspired by the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death in 2016, is an exciting anthology of 26 choral works that are settings of Shakespeare's words. For choirs of all types and abilities, this collection has been edited by David Wordsworth so that all the pieces are fantastic both to sing and hear.The collection features some beautiful settings that have well and truly stood the test of time, such as Thomas Arne's Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind, more recent settings from contemporary composers such as John Tavener's Fear No More, as well as several specially commissioned works, including John Joubert's Be Not Afeard, Richard Sisson's Light Thickens and Pawel Lukaszewki's Weary With Toil. Some of these pieces have never appeared before in print, such as those by Kevin Olson, Bernard Hughes and John Gardner.These songs truly are a joy to perform, with some relatively simple arrangements that are purely fun to sing alongside more complex settings that will prove thoroughly rewarding for choirs and audiences alike. There are a wealth of options for choirs looking to expand their repertoire with a range of unique settings.Includes a fascinating introduction by editor David Wordsworth, and notes describing each piece.Songlist:- Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind [Thomas Arne]- Hymn For Shakespeare's Birthday [Lennox Berkeley]- Lo, Here, The Gentle Lark [Gary Carpenter]- O, How Much More [Paul Crabtree]- Four Rounds To Shakespeare Texts [John Gardner]- It Was A Lover And His Lass [Matthew Harris]- Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred [Matthew Harris]- Who Is Silvia? [Matthew Harris]- Rosemary [Daniel Hellden]- If We Shadows Have Offended [Bernard Hughed]- Be Not Afeard [John Joubert]- Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day? [Libby Larsen]- How Sweet The Moonlight Sleeps [Henry Leslie]- Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed [Pawel Lukaszewski]- Ophelia's Lament [Paul Mealor]- Sigh No More, Ladies [Ernest Moeran]- A Summer Sonnet [Kevin Olson]- Orpheus With His Lute [William Schuman]- Light Thickens [Richard Sisson]- Fear No More [Stephen Sondheim]- Fear No More [John Tavener]- Look In Thy Glass [John Tavener]- Orpheus [Judith Weir]- Daffodils [Nancy Wertsch]- Mistress Mine [Nancy Wertsch]- Full Fathom Five [Charles Wood]

Music played an enormous role in the works of William Shakespeare, while his own sonnets, poems and soliloquies have provided continuing inspiration for many composers through the years.The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, inspired by the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death in 2016, is an exciting anthology of 26 choral works that are settings of Shakespeare's words. For choirs of all types and abilities, this collection has been edited by David Wordsworth so that all the pieces are fantastic both to sing and hear.The collection features some beautiful settings that have well and truly stood the test of time, such as Thomas Arne's Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind, more recent settings from contemporary composers such as John Tavener's Fear No More, as well as several specially commissioned works, including John Joubert's Be Not Afeard, Richard Sisson's Light Thickens and Pawel Lukaszewki's Weary With Toil. Some of these pieces have never appeared before in print, such as those by Kevin Olson, Bernard Hughes and John Gardner.These songs truly are a joy to perform, with some relatively simple arrangements that are purely fun to sing alongside more complex settings that will prove thoroughly rewarding for choirs and audiences alike. There are a wealth of options for choirs looking to expand their repertoire with a range of unique settings.Includes a fascinating introduction by editor David Wordsworth, and notes describing each piece.Songlist:- Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind [Thomas Arne]- Hymn For Shakespeare's Birthday [Lennox Berkeley]- Lo, Here, The Gentle Lark [Gary Carpenter]- O, How Much More [Paul Crabtree]- Four Rounds To Shakespeare Texts [John Gardner]- It Was A Lover And His Lass [Matthew Harris]- Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred [Matthew Harris]- Who Is Silvia? [Matthew Harris]- Rosemary [Daniel Hellden]- If We Shadows Have Offended [Bernard Hughed]- Be Not Afeard [John Joubert]- Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day? [Libby Larsen]- How Sweet The Moonlight Sleeps [Henry Leslie]- Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed [Pawel Lukaszewski]- Ophelia's Lament [Paul Mealor]- Sigh No More, Ladies [Ernest Moeran]- A Summer Sonnet [Kevin Olson]- Orpheus With His Lute [William Schuman]- Light Thickens [Richard Sisson]- Fear No More [Stephen Sondheim]- Fear No More [John Tavener]- Look In Thy Glass [John Tavener]- Orpheus [Judith Weir]- Daffodils [Nancy Wertsch]- Mistress Mine [Nancy Wertsch]- Full Fathom Five [Charles Wood]