Mostly Men

Strange as it may seem, some church choirs only sing music composed by men. It can be difficult for choir directors, who only know pieces written by men, to choose suitable pieces by women. Every week I publish a suggested music list on Twitter to help those who would like to be more diverse, but just don't know where to start. Follow me @OliviaSparkhall or have a look below for recent weeks' music:

The Third Sunday Before Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Missa Brevis Thea Musgrave

Motet: O come let us sing Cheryl Frances-Hoad

Voluntary: Moderato Elizabeth Stirling

Evensong

Responses: Cecilia McDowall

Canticles: St Pancras Diana Burrell

Anthem: I will trust Undine Smith Moore

Voluntary: Fantasy An-Ming Wang

The Second Sunday Before Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Canterbury Mass Cecilia McDowall

Motet: Ave Verum Stephanie Martin

Voluntary: Finale Elfrida Andrée

Choral Evensong

Responses: Margaret Woodley

Canticles: Amy Beach (arr. Sparkhall)

Anthem: Sing Lullaby Tamsin Jones

Voluntary: Monâdjât Rolande Falcinelli

The First Sunday Before Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Mass in A minor Imogen Holst

Motet: Ave verum Kathryn Rose

Voluntary: Sortie Mel Bonis

Choral Evensong

Responses: Margaret Burk

Canticles: Truro Dobrinka Tabakova Anthem: O Nata Lux Jessica French Voluntary: Aubade Carlotta Ferrari

Ash Wednesday

Eucharist

Setting: Penitential Mass Victoria Larley

Motet: Miserere Raffaela Aleotti

Voluntary: Elegy Brenda Portman

Choral Evensong

Responses: Helen Williams

Canticles: Jennifer Fowler

Anthem: Ash Wednesday Cecilia McDowall Voluntary: Choral Prelude Jeanne Demessieux

The First Sunday of Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Ghislaine Reece-Trapp

Motet: Ave Verum Mel Bonis

Voluntary: Jesu, dulcis Pamela Decker

Choral Evensong

Responses: Maxine Thévenot

Canticles: Faburdens June Nixon

Anthem: Hear my prayer Kerensa Briggs Voluntary: Prelude Cecile Chaminade

The second Sunday of Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Missa Brevis Ruth Watson

Motet: Ave verum Susan Partlan

Voluntary: Three for Lent Joyce Jones

Choral Evensong

Responses: (set I) Sarah Cattley

Canticles: (in Db) Alison Willis

Anthem: Dona nobis pacem Olivia Sparkhall

Voluntary: Into the Wilderness Judith Bingham

The third Sunday of Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Short Service Helen Roe

Motet: Veni Jesu Margaret Rizza

Voluntary: Nun komm Eva Maria Houben

Choral Evensong

Responses: Miriam Mackie

Canticles: Kathryn Rose

Anthem: Sicut cervus Stephanie Martin

Voluntary: Trio on Attende Sarah MacDonald

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

Eucharist

Setting: Louisa Sullivan

Motet: Love bade Rhian Samuel

Voluntary: Ave Maria Maija Einfelde

Choral Evensong

Responses: Sasha Johnson Manning

Canticles: Sarah Rimkus

Anthem: Gabriel’s Message Olivia Sparkhall

Voluntary: Annunciation IV Judith Bingham

For Palm Sunday

Eucharist

Setting: Judith Bingham

Motet: If ye love me Caroline Lesemann-Elliott

Voluntary: Passion Chorale Mary Beth Bennett

Choral Evensong

Responses: Kerensa Briggs

Canticles: Judith Weir

Anthem: Crucifixus Olivia Sparkhall

Voluntary: Kreuzige Ihn Christiane Michel-Ostertun

Music for Holy Week - see separate blog

Easter Sunday

Eucharist

Setting: Roxanna Panufnik

Motet: Day of Days Faustina Hasse Hodges

Voluntary: Paean Gail Randall

Choral Evensong

Responses: Phoebe McFarlane

Canticles: St Cat’s Sally Beamish

Anthem: A Renewal of Faith Olivia Sparkhall

Voluntary: Fanfare Emma Ashford

The First Sunday After Easter

Eucharist

Setting: Jill Jarman

Motet: Easter Carol Tamsin Jones

Voluntary: Toccata Mary Beth Bennett

Choral Evensong

Responses: (set II) Sarah Cattley

Canticles: St Paul’s Joanna Marsh

Anthem: Easter Carol Sheena Phillips

Voluntary: Coda Elena Langer