Comfort Ye: 5 Advent and Christmas pieces
As a former church music director, I know what it feels like to look at your upcoming calendar and realize that you need to quickly fill a spot or two for the Advent or Christmas season. With that in mind, here are five of my Advent and Christmas pieces (ranging from unison/soloist to SATB choir)- complete with recordings and sheet music.Special thanks to vocalist Sarah Kervin for singing all three parts on the brand new gospel choir track of Comfort Ye.Deanna's Advent/Christmas music:Comfort Ye: The classic 17th-century Advent text, "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People”in an original three-part (SAB) gospel/R&B setting. Choral/piano score and lead sheet.
Love Came Down: Original gospel/funk unison setting of the Christina Rossetti poem, "Love Came Down at Christmas." Piano/vocal score and lead sheet.
We Three Kings: Swinging jazz instrumental trio arrangement. Piano score and lead sheet.
Never Before: This three-part women's a cappella piece was composed for an Advent lessons and carols service. The original text is Mary's imagined response to the Annunciation. Available at MusicSpoke. Choral score with piano reduction.
Click on the Never Before music above to view a longer score sample.
Glistening Lily: Text of this SSAATTB choral/piano piece is taken from an English translation of Hildegard of Bingen's liturgical song, Ave Generosa. Available at MusicSpoke.(Note: There's a surprise in the video below having to do with playing the piano part with one hand...).