A Cappella Wonders 2

If you were one of the almost 1,000 who sang in the recent A Cappella Wonders course, we thank you for making it such a landmark event.

Having fun is what it’s all about here at the SIC and so we have decided to do it all over again, with Ben England BEM.

Here are the pieces we are learning, recording and performing:

LAY A GARLAND by Robert Pearsall

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O VOS OMNES by Pablo Casals

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HEAR MY PRAYER by Henry Purcell

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AVE VERUM CORPUS by William Byrd

LAY A GARLAND by Robert Pearsall (1795 - 1856)

LAY A GARLAND is a popular English poem written in 1608-11. The poem was famously set to music by Pearsall on 4th June 1840, scored for SSAATTBB in Eb. Pearsall was born in Bristol, England and died in an ancient castle he was restoring in Rorschach in Switzerland.

Here is a wonderful example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vd0E1zuiaw

O VOS OMNES by Pablo Casals (1876 - 1973)

Pablo Casals was a Catalan and Puerto Rican cellist, composer, and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century and some described him as “the greatest man who ever drew a bow”. He composed O VOS OMNES in 1932.

Here is a wonderful example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlcAqb-h98A

HEAR MY PRAYER by Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695)

HEAR MY PRAYER, O LORD is an eight-part choral anthem by the English composer Henry Purcell. The anthem is a setting of the first verse of Psalm 102 in the version of the Book of Common Prayer. Purcell composed it c. 1682 at the beginning of his tenure as Organist and Master of the Choristers for Westminster Abbey. Purcell set it for an a cappella choir consisting of eight voice parts: two soprano parts, two altos, two tenors and two basses (SSAATTBB). The anthem is 34 measures long, and is written in the key of C minor. Musicologist Timothy Dickey notes that Purcell “gradually amplified the vocal texture, and intensifies the harmonic complexity, until all eight voices combine in a towering dissonant tone cluster which desperately demands the final cadential resolution.”

Here is a wonderful example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Q33UL7ugc

AVE VERUM CORPUS by William Byrd (1540-1623)

AVE VERUM CORPUS (“Hail, True Body”) is a Renaissance motet. The work is based on the “Ave verum corpus” Eucharistic chant that has also been set to music by various composers. Byrd's setting was first published in 1605.

Today, no composition by Byrd is performed and recorded more often than this one, mainly because it offers such rich opportunities for expressive singing. It attained its popularity only in the modern era; being strictly a Catholic work, it was totally shunned by English church musicians until its revival by Catholic choirs late in the nineteenth century. In an age of greater religious tolerance its popularity quickly spread, and by a pleasing twist Byrd’s “Ave verum corpus” is now established in both Anglican and Catholic choral worship.

Here is a wonderful example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioBgfmzRLUE

How it Works

We shall be taught these delightful pieces by Ben England BEM via LIVE stream. This is not Zoom - this is broadcasting whereby Ben will be seen by thousands of people simultaneously for each teaching session.

During the teaching, we shall be given learning tracks with our voice part LOUDER to assist our learning. Ben will sing alto, tenor and bass for these tracks and Ana England, his wife, will sing the soprano parts.

We shall also be provided with conducting tracks to record our own voice, if we wish to do so. There is no pressure here.

We shall then combine all voices in the studio and play the result back to the choir in a Concert Performance.

Timings

This is a Recorded course and all sessions are there for you to learn and enjoy at your own pace. There are 2 FULL CHOIR and 2 sectional sessions for each voice, yet you are most welcome to join as many as you wish. There are a total of 11 sessions. We require your recorded voice by

2nd November at 22:00 UK time.

We shall then combine all voices in the studio for the Concert Performance which will be on

Thursday 2nd December at 19:00 UK time.

Course Fee

The fee for this course is £40 to include:

All teaching and tuition

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All course materials

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Online scores

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In-studio mixing

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Concert Performance

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Mosaic picture of the whole choir