INTRODUCTION
Many choirs share a common problem: insufficient or a complete
absence of tenors. Lack of suitable material in three parts often means that
choirs have little choice than to tackle carol settings for S.A.T.B., the tenor
part being consigned to men who would be far more effectively deployed singing
bass. Of the three-part repertoire currently available there is a bias towards
settings with organ or piano obbligato. In Nowell! Nowell! the
editors have sought to complement existing repertoire by providing easy and
attractive settings that will meet the needs of a three-part chorus of modest
accomplishment in all situations, whether accompanied or unaccompanied.
The collection affords ample choice of material for a full concert programme or
carol service, with or without audience or congregational participation, and
for informal carol singing.
Nowell! Nowell! consists of easy and attractive settings of sacred and secular
carols in a variety of styles. The music falls into three broad categories:
1.
three-part settings of well
known carols in which audiences and congregations can participate, the
harmonies of which are compatible with the usual four-part versions, complete
with special last-verse arrangements;
2.
three-part arrangements of
traditional carols for choral performance;
3.
new settings of traditional
and modern texts.
The designation ‘for Soprano,
Alto and Men’ and the related nomenclature in the musical settings are
convenient rather than precise and were adopted on the assumption that the alto
parts will normally be taken by women and girls and the bass parts by a mixture
of basses, baritones and tenors. However, the collection is no less suitable
for all-male choirs. Fortuitously, it is also a useful resource for
unaccompanied A.T.B. ensembles (where altos take the soprano part and tenors
take the alto part): with judicious transposition the vast majority of the
settings fall comfortably within the range of an A.T.B. choir.
With the exception of carol no. 35, which exists in discrete
accompanied and unaccompanied versions, where an independent accompaniment is
provided it is designated ‘Optional Organ or Piano’. In accordance with common
practice, where there is no independent accompaniment and the vocal parts are
presented on two staves, these serve as an accompaniment, when required. Where
no independent accompaniment exists and the vocal parts are presented on three
staves, a keyboard reduction is provided both to facilitate rehearsal and, if
necessary, to serve as an accompaniment. Settings that feature no independent
accompaniment are generally better performed unaccompanied, where possible.
However, that some settings maybe lend themselves more appropriately to
accompanied performance while others are ideally rendered without accompaniment
is not a primary concern: all the items in this collections are effective
whether accompanied or otherwise. Rather than any constraints inherent in the
musical setting, it is the performance situation, the needs and limitations of
the choir and the judgement of the choir leader that determine whether any item
should be accompanied or sung a cappella.
As well as the alternative of
accompanied or unaccompanied performance, a number of settings offer other
useful options. In the case of some carols, for example, choirs may choose
between simple and more elaborate versions (2, 3, 18, 24, 40, 41, 46, 47, 48,
50). Others feature the option of special arrangements of certain verses that
can be enhanced, if desired, by the use of instruments (9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 28,
31, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 45). The use of instruments on descants, with or
without voices, can be very effective (trumpet and organ combine especially
well). Descant parts for instruments in C and B flat are available from the
publisher.
Simple stanzaic settings can
be performed in a variety of ways, some of which are outlined below. When a
carol is accompanied the insertion of unaccompanied, unison and solo verses can
be very effective. When the singing is unaccompanied a range of simple devices
may be employed to add interest and variety. The carol melody and words may be
sung by sopranos or by a soprano soloist while the altos and men hum or sing
their parts to the vowel sounds ‘ah’ or ‘oo’. Alternate harmony and unison
singing is often effective, as is the juxtaposition of a verse sung by the full
choir and another performed by a small group of singers or a trio of soloists.
Also, the simple beauty of the unaccompanied solo voice can be just as telling
as the most impeccably executed harmony.
Because it is anticipated
that the men’s part will often be taken by baritones rather than by genuine
basses, by boys whose voices have recently broken and, occasionally, by tenors,
alternative notes are given in brackets or in small print when the bass line
falls below A. However, the lower notes are generally to be preferred and
should be taken where possible. Alternatives are not given where these would
disrupt unduly the shape or flow of the bass line.