Love's redeeming work is done

A New Work is Come on Hand

Music of the Spheres

A five-movement work featuring texts by Johannes Kepler, John Donne, and the Psalms. Dedicated to Swiss astrophysicist Arnold Benz, a relative of the composer, this work is based on melodic ideas written to be overlaid with images of various constellations. Duration: 10:00

Hommage à Langlais: Song of Peace in a Time of War

This engaging work by Mary Beth Bennett was commissioned by the Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists to celebrate its 50th anniversary. A soft misterioso section, reminiscent of Jean Langlais' "Song of Peace," begins the work, followed by a section of loud musical cries of anguish. An introspective central section of free melody in a Middle-Eastern mode ensues, and the work concludes with the hymn tune VICTORY ("The Strife is O'er") superimposed over it. Duration: 5:00

Serenade and Dance

In one movement with two contrasting sections, the work opens with the Serenade, which is tranquil and melodic. It is followed by the energetically angular, raucously rhythmic Dance that features a catchy tune alternating several times with contrasting melodies, all in the spirit of a lively romp. The work was premiered in April 2013 by Shannon Scott, clarinet, and Melissa Loehnig, piano, at Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington. Commissioned by and dedicated to Joseph Juracek.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God : From Music of the Spheres

This is the first movement (Prologue) of a five-movement work featuring texts by Johannes Kepler, John Donne, and the Psalms. Dedicated to Swiss astrophysicist Arnold Benz, a relative of the composer, the work is based on melodic ideas written to be overlaid with images of various constellations. "The Heavens Declare" is a setting of Psalm 19: 1-4, in which tenor soli and SATB choir alternately declaim the text in a call-and-response structure.

Sonata for Flute (or Violin) and Piano (or Organ)

This three-movement work is composed in a readily accessible tonal style. Colorful harmonies and concise structural elements highlight each movement. Throughout the Sonata, melodic lyricism is a constant characteristic which will present an engaging musical experience for performers and audiences. Duration: 8:10

O Come, Desire of Nations : O Rex gentium

Written for and dedicated to Eric Holtan and True Concord Voices and Orchestra for their 2015 Lessons and Carols concerts, and in memory of American composer Stephen Paulus (1949 “2014), this work is intended to be a plea for peace among peoples and nations. Duration: 4:00

Reverie Hommage a Francis Poulenc

Poignant, evocative, wistful, playful, charming. These are just a few of the many adjectives that recount Francis Poulenc's musical craft, and perhaps, even his own personal disposition. When the musical elite begin any discussion (or argument) regarding the art of Francis Poulenc, one quote patented by noted music critic Claude Rostand seems to always bubble towards the surface: "In Poulenc, there is something of the monk and something of the rascal." How often we see that dichotomous but unifying strand of inspiration throughout his entire oeuvre! With the contrasting and complimentary ingredients of both piety and playfulness thoughtfully put in place, it is the intent ofRêverie to conjure the heart of Poulenc's musical form. Rêverie is a work that combines harmonic inventiveness, melodic poignancy and rhythms sprinkled with mischievous pulses. While the work does pay homage to the master with reverence, it simultaneously summons a fresh, new perspective of these old, familiar forms-these "ships" of our pasts. With that said, perhaps it is best to let Stravinsky take the helm: "[But] the true work of an artist is to improve upon old ships. He can only recount in his own way what has already been told." -Luke MayernikIncludes score and Alto Saxophone part. Duration: 6:30

Erinnerung : Remembrance

An evocation of the sound world of Schubert's Sonatas, especially channeling Schubert’s D959. The references to Schubert are sometimes direct, but often altered in slight ways to evoke the dreamy sense of time that occurs while sleeping. It was commissioned by David Deveau specifically for a recording of this work with Steinway Records. Duration: 5:15

Let Us Break Bread Together

This work is dedicated to Heather Heyer of Charlottesville, Virginia, who gave her life for our mission of tolerance. Using the traditional African American tune LET US BREAK BREAD, this arrangement is scored for SATB chorus (divisi) and piano.  A new verse is added: Let us rise up together all as one, as a call for strength through unity. Duration: 3:00

Refuge : from Sing Evermore!

An assuring text from master poet Sara Teasdale, its central theme is that one can take refuge in singing. Ever sensitive to the text, Walker crafts word painting throughout with shimmering accompaniment figures, textural changes, and fanfare-like passages in the voices on the word "free". Excerpted from the larger work Sing Evermore! and available in both SATB and TTBB voicings.

Aria and Chorale

Written as one continuous movement, the music begins with a haunting "Aria." A chromatic musical language creates a mysterious mood. The pianist and violinist trade musical motives back and forth as equal but differing partners. A brief interlude segues into the "Chorale" section, which is as soaring and reassuring as the beginning was uneasy. The two ideas create a fulfilling balance and the work ends peacefully.

Roosters

On the surface, this 1941 poem is about roosters. More specifically, roosters in Key West, where the poet spent a decade. But the sub-texts could not be any more appropriate in terms of current events: they touch on militarism, gender roles, forgiveness, and waking up to reality. The 44 stanzas are set for two singers and piano. A sweeping and engaging work which exhibits drama, humor, and variety.

Beloved, Let Us Love One Another

Written for the Choir of the Church of the Advent in Boston, Massachusetts (Dr. Edith Ho, director), this piece was composed for the wedding of John Sterling Lambert and Susan Tighlman Bisson at the Advent on October 12, 2002. The bride and groom are both singers who have worked closely with the composer, and the composer and choir offered this short work, drawing on various wedding and musical texts, as a gift to the couple during the wedding liturgy.

A Quiet Alleluia

This piece was composed for my close friend Walter Roach. He asked for a piece for his dear wife Debbie, who was in the last months of her life. I composed it with her in mind, and fortunately she got to hear it sung. Musically, it is basically a simple and flowing melodic piece. Compared with some of the more majestic and powerful pieces that have been written on this text, this work is really a quiet meditation and prayer.

An Alleluia Flourish : Piano/Choral Score

Commissioned by Classical Movements for an incredibly large ensemble of primarily “older” singers. Along with some brass, keyboard, and timpani, this work serves as a fun, fanfare-like, flourish-filled opener for a festive program. Just as the constraints in place for the aging voice play to the strengths of this unique ensemble, so do these simpler vocal requirements make this an ideal piece for student ensembles at both middle and high school levels. -Julian Wachner Duration: 2:35 Instrumental Parts include: F Horn, Trombone (substitue for Horn), Trumpet I and II in C and B-flat, TimpaniCommissioned by Classical Movements for an incredibly large ensemble of primarily “older” singers. Along with some brass, keyboard, and timpani, this work serves as a fun, fanfare-like, flourish-filled opener for a festive program. Just as the constraints in place for the aging voice play to the strengths of this unique ensemble, so do these simpler vocal requirements make this an ideal piece for student ensembles at both middle and high school levels. -Julian Wachner Duration: 2:35 Instrumental Parts include: F Horn, Trombone (substitue for Horn), Trumpet I and II in C and B-flat, Timpani

Variations on Outburst of Spring Triumphant : A Theme of Ludwig Diehn

This work is built on a theme of the late Virginia composer, Ludwig Liehn. Commissioned for the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists, it has six movemements: Intrada (2 versions are printed), Ostinato, Celestes, Aria, Interlude, and Toccata. The first five movements are varied in style and mood. The final movement is a fiery toccata. This accessible and captivating piece has been featured on American Public Media's "Pipedreams" program, and recently received its European premiere at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Duration: 10:00

Fond Farewell

On the occasion of retirement and relocation to another state, A Fond Farewell was written for a couple who had been longstanding members and strong supporters of their church. The work was premiered by the Hingham Congregational Church Choir of Hingham, Massachusetts under the direction of the composer during a service of celebration in honor of the couple. Though the expressive qualities of the music remain the same, alternative but similar verses have been provided so that the particulars of the text may be more appropriate in different situations.

Et in terra pax

Et in terra pax is a choral meditation on the dream of peace on Earth, coupled with the realities which constantly threaten such a dream. The work begins with a simple homophonic prayer. The middle section features a more agitated theme, indicating fear from enemies. This section culminates in a powerful supplication for strength and aid. The opening music returns, emboldened by a repeated plea which reaches an apex of sheer serenity. The final moments echo the continuous hope of peace on earth. -Thomas Juneau   Duration: 3:30

Cartes postales de la guerre : Postcards from the War

Commissioned for the 2018 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Kansas City, Missouri. The texts which provide the basis for the work were all written by the French poet, Guillaume Apollinaire, in 1915 and published between 1916 and 1918. Since Apollinaire served in the French military and fought on the front lines during the war, his poetry comments on various aspects of life in time of war from his own first-hand experience. Apollinaire's use of imagery in these poems presents his observations of change, transformation, and disillusionment.

Jazzonia : From Black Pierrot

From the large work Black Pierrot, Jazzonia (1923) describes the scene in a Harlem café of the 1920s in which “six long-headed jazzers play,” and beautiful girls dance. After a short introductory section, the music moves into a lively ragtime—complete with drum set—that forms the background for the remainder of the piece. Altogether, it is something of a poetic and musical glance at the era of the Harlem Renaissance in which so much African-American music, art, and poetry emerged as vital forces in the arts. Duration: 4:30

i carry your heart

E. E. Cummings' poem i carry your heart could be read as a marriage vow, a joyous ode to a newborn, or even a eulogy to a lost love…it is adaptable to all kinds and levels of love. This setting is grounded in a steady quarter note ostinato which suggests the gentle tolling of bells, expressing respect and affection, both dignified and joyous in character. The accompaniment becomes subtly more animated at the poem’s two climaxes. The work ends with serene confidence, as the poet affirms the undeviating constancy and resolve of love. Duration: 5:30

The Gale

A creative and unusual work, The Gale uses text painting, sound effects, and crafty choral writing to bring to life the text written by Abraham (“Abramek”) Koplowicz, a Jewish boy who was exterminated by the Nazis during the Holocaust. He wrote this poem during the time that his family was trapped in the Lodz ghetto. The terror of the storm represents a deeper terror, the "swallow and his wife...wondering what will come next" allegorically speaks for the people. So it is with the entire poem, which results in a powerful piece of music which is equally effective accompanied by piano or by chamber orchestra. Duration: 6:30

27 Haiku

Originally called hokku, the familiar 3-line verse began as the opening of a group improvisation called renga which evolved in Japan in the middle ages. Often creating spontaneously, one poet would speak the first three lines, another poet would add the next two, another the next three and so on until a longer composition had evolved. This creative collaboration was an important social, creative, and intellectual pastime. Eventually the opening three line groups (whose lines commonly had syllables of 5, 7, and 5 respectively) achieved a life of their own and became the haiku (a merging of hokku and hakai (playful) that we know today. The poetry used in this collection waswritten by the most famous Japanese haiku masters, of whom Basho (1644 94) is considered their founding father. His deep humanity and intense observation of the natural and human world combined to elevate the haiku tradition to its epitome. The poet and painter Buson (1716 84) and the beloved Issa (1762 1826) carried on the tradition and instructed and inspired future generations. Through their work and the work of their compatriots, the impressions of the world around them were distilled into poetic “glimpses,” brief moments of casual acknowledgement, profound beauty, or gentle sadness. The steady references to the seasons, trees and flowers, the small creatures of nature, the intensity of human relationships as well as those quiet moments spent in thoughtful reflection, give us an impression of their world and their relationship to it.