This seems to be the big hit of the whole oratorio. Â It’s more commonly known as “Crucify Him!” Â The main musical premise is that the tempo steadily accelerates from the beginning of the Allegro to the end of the piece. Â Even I find it pretty creepy.
Anthem for Soprano and Baritone Soloists, Choir, Organ, Brass and Timpani
Here’s an anthem for Palm Sunday; the festive crowd marches in from the distance, the Savior seated atop a bumbling ass (the dotted figure in the timpani.) Voluptuous solos for soprano and baritone, and a sensible choir part.
Why does the choral score cost so much?
Because I presume that, in purchasing it, you will simply make as many copies as you need for your singers. And that’s great! Much easier than me printing and shipping a whole bunch of them and charging you per part, which would probably cost you at least twice as much and make me have to write those annoying, guilt-ridden anti-photocopying messages in my music. I live in the real world. Copy what you need, and go in peace.
Here’s me conducting the recording session. Â I think I was having fun that day:
Anthem for Solo SATB Quartet, flute, Bell Choir and Organ (or piano)
This is a meditative piece that’s kind of the quiet before the storm of the Passion music for Good Friday. Â I originally wrote it for my bell choir at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington, a group that I affectionately labeled, “The Ladies who Ring”.
The bells on this recording come from the storied Bell Choir dynasty of the Union Church of Hinsdale.
Anthem for Soprano, Tenor and Baritone Soloists, Choir, Organ, Brass and Timpani
This is a big festive anthem for Easter, continuing the male chorus narration of the Passion and ending with a big “Bell Anthem” of “Thanks be to God”. Â This piece pairs with the Psalm “This is the Day”, the tune of which comes back at the end of “Thanks”.
This setting of the Kyrie for SAATTBB choir adheres to the tridentine tradition, in that each text phrase (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison) is heard three times.
I composed this piece in 2005, while interim music director at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington, IL, my first job out of college. It was premiered as the offertory anthem at a church service that October by the church’s choir. In some ways, I consider it my first “professional†piece, given that it was the first thing I composed as a working professional musician.