Posts By: willcwhite

The Triumphal Entry

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.  I think I was having fun that day:

I am the True Vine

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.  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.

Kyrie

for a cappella choir

 

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.

Fantasy on “Les Folies d’Espagne”

for Chamber Orchestra

Scored for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, prepared piano, harpsichord, portative organ, 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, bass and percussion.

This was my senior thesis in composition at the University of Chicago. It is a polystylistic romp through the ages, built on three pieces of material: a descending glissando figure, the “La Folia” chord progression, and a waltz. It’s a humdinger of a piece. It’s hard to hear on this recording, but at the end, I have the organist switch off the power supply to her instrument. As the air decompresses, various higher partials in the pipes are activated, creating about the coolest instrumental effect I know.

The recording above is from my senior recital in 2005 and features a bunch of my friends as well as some hired ringers (conducted by me). Here’s a second recording by the Chicago Composer’s Orchestra conducted by Matthew Kasper in 2012 (slightly updated version which I discussed here.)