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
