Description
for upper voices, SATB, and harp My Perfect Stranger is a captivating setting of Kevin Crossley-Holland's retelling of the Christmas story. Following an expectant prologue, the central movement is rich in characterization as soloists from within the choir take on the roles of key players in the narrative, with the upper voices adopting the role of the guiding star, as well as enriching the texture at important moments in the story. Beginning with the harp ostinato of the prologue, the epilogue asks the listener to reflect on the story we have heard, challenging us to consider the part we might have played and asking 'what have you to say and sing?'. The work's vibrant part for harp makes for a compelling alternative to the more conventional keyboard accompaniment.
About the Author
Bob Chilcott has become one of the world's most widely performed composers and arrangers of choral music. His compositional output reflects his wide taste in music styles and his commitment to writing music that is both singable and communicative. He has been involved in choral music most of his life he was a chorister and then a choral scholar in the choir of King's College, Cambridge, and was a member of the British vocal group The King's Singers for whom he made a number of popular arrangements of well-known songs from all genres. As well as being a full-time composer he is also a highly acclaimed choral conductor. He has been privileged to conduct many choirs all over the world. He is Principal Guest Conductor of The BBC Singers and in 2019 he was appointed Principal Conductor of Birmingham University Singers. His music has been widely recorded by many choirs and groups including The King's Singers, Tenebrae, and The BBC Singers.
Reviews
The treble choir has an active role throughout, singing with the full chorus or contributing sections on their own. The third movement epilogue returns to the atmosphere of the opening with beautiful poetic rumination on the meaning of the Nativity. The roughly twelve-minute length would make an excellent prelude for Christmas Eve or centrepiece for a concert. The obvious pairing with Britten's A Ceremony of Carols offers even more programming opportunities. * Jason Overall, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, November 19 *
My Perfect Stranger is a 12-minute "mini-drama" for harp (though piano can be substituted), upper voices (1-2 parts) and a separate mixed choir, setting a vivid text by Kevin Crossley-Holland that allows the introduction of three wise men (TBB) into the musical texture as well as other dramatis personae. * Geoffrey Webber, Choir & Organ, September 2017 *
My Perfect Stranger is far from a conventional Christmas piece but it's a most interesting way of telling the Christmas story and I hope that choirs will take it up as an enterprising alternative to the standard carol concert fare. * John Quinn, musicweb-international.com, October 2017 *
Book Information
ISBN 9780193417304
Author Bob Chilcott
Page Count 36
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 130g
Dimensions(mm) 278mm * 215mm * 13mm
About the Author
Bob Chilcott has become one of the world's most widely performed composers and arrangers of choral music. His compositional output reflects his wide taste in music styles and his commitment to writing music that is both singable and communicative. He has been involved in choral music most of his life he was a chorister and then a choral scholar in the choir of King's College, Cambridge, and was a member of the British vocal group The King's Singers for whom he made a number of popular arrangements of well-known songs from all genres. As well as being a full-time composer he is also a highly acclaimed choral conductor. He has been privileged to conduct many choirs all over the world. He is Principal Guest Conductor of The BBC Singers and in 2019 he was appointed Principal Conductor of Birmingham University Singers. His music has been widely recorded by many choirs and groups including The King's Singers, Tenebrae, and The BBC Singers.
Reviews
The treble choir has an active role throughout, singing with the full chorus or contributing sections on their own. The third movement epilogue returns to the atmosphere of the opening with beautiful poetic rumination on the meaning of the Nativity. The roughly twelve-minute length would make an excellent prelude for Christmas Eve or centrepiece for a concert. The obvious pairing with Britten's A Ceremony of Carols offers even more programming opportunities. * Jason Overall, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, November 19 *
My Perfect Stranger is a 12-minute "mini-drama" for harp (though piano can be substituted), upper voices (1-2 parts) and a separate mixed choir, setting a vivid text by Kevin Crossley-Holland that allows the introduction of three wise men (TBB) into the musical texture as well as other dramatis personae. * Geoffrey Webber, Choir & Organ, September 2017 *
My Perfect Stranger is far from a conventional Christmas piece but it's a most interesting way of telling the Christmas story and I hope that choirs will take it up as an enterprising alternative to the standard carol concert fare. * John Quinn, musicweb-international.com, October 2017 *
Book Information
ISBN 9780193417304
Author Bob Chilcott
Page Count 36
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 130g
Dimensions(mm) 278mm * 215mm * 13mm
