New Choral Music for St Mary Magdalene

A HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER – JANE OLSON

Jane Olson is our composer-in-residence for 2020 (now extended to 2021). This anthem was written for Ash Wednesday, interpolating John Donne’s poem with the words used during the “Ashing” – “You are dust and to dust you shall return”.

You can listen to a live sample from rehearsal here:

A Hymn to God the Father – Jane Olson (live recording)

SONNET XV: EASTER DAWN – KERENSA BRIGGS

Sonnet XV: Easter Dawn was commissioned for our Patronal Festival in 2019. It is a setting of words by Malcolm Guite; you can read the text here. Kerensa Briggs has written us a hauntingly beautiful piece. To find out more about her work, visit her website. You can listen to a live recording here:

Sonnet XV: Easter Dawn – Kerensa Briggs (live recording)

JACOB’S DREAM – EMMA DAVIES

Emma Davies was our composer-in-residence for 2018-2019. She wrote this piece for the 2019 Hercules Clay Memorial Service, an annual civic service that remembers the former mayor of Newark, whose family were saved from fire in the Civil War, following a dream. You can listen to a live recording here:

Jacob’s Dream – Emma Davies (live recording)

Jacob’s Dream has been published by Encore Publications – click here for more information.


JOSEPH DEAREST, JOSEPH MINE – STEPHEN BULLAMORE

This arrangement of the famous German carol was written for the 2018-2019 Magnus Choral Scholars. It features on the choir’s Christmas recording “A babe is born”. You can listen to an excerpt of that recording here:

Joseph dearest, Joseph mine – arr. Stephen Bullamore

Joseph dearest, Joseph mine is available as a pdf copy for other choirs to perform, free of charge.

To gain a watermark free copy for performance, contact the Director of Music.

THE ROCKING CAROL – STEPHEN BULLAMORE

An arrangement of the Czech carol by Stephen Bullamore for Unison upper voices with a solo descant. It features on the choir’s Christmas recording “A babe is born”. You can listen to an excerpt of that recording here:

The Rocking Carol – arr. Stephen Bullamore

The Rocking Carol is available as a pdf copy for other choirs to perform, free of charge.

To gain a watermark free copy for performance, contact the Director of Music.

COME, THOU, REDEEMER OF THE EARTH – EMMA DAVIES

Emma Davies was our composer-in-residence for 2018-2019. This is a setting of a hymn by St Ambrose, as translated by J.M. Neale. The melody, taken from the Sarum hymn Veni redemptor gentium, is initially stated as a plainsong theme, before it is developed by the whole choir, sometimes with a soloist, and building towards a longing climax. The first performance was given at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2019. It features on the choir’s Christmas recording “A babe is born”. You can listen to an excerpt of that recording here:

Come, thou, redeemer of the earth – Emma Davies

Come, thou, redeemer is available as a pdf copy for other choirs to perform, free of charge.

To gain a watermark free copy for performance, contact the Director of Music.