New from RSCM Publications – RSCM Evensong Collection for SA+Men
The Royal School of Church Music has published a new collection of canticles, responses and psalm chants designed for choirs with sopranos, altos and unison lower voices.
The RSCM Evensong Collection for Sopranos, Altos and Unison Lower Voices brings together preces and responses, six settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, and four psalm chants.
The book has been created in response to a challenge faced by many choirs, particularly in rural areas: a shortage of tenors and basses. The new volume offers repertoire written for sopranos, altos and lower voices singing in unison, with accompaniments designed to be manageable for parish organists.
Six composers were invited to write settings of the evensong canticles for this vocal configuration. The resulting collection offers a range of styles and levels of difficulty, giving choirs flexibility in choosing music suited to their singers and context.
The publication also includes a set of preces and responses by David Fawcett, including a setting of the Lord’s Prayer, alongside four simple psalm chants by Simon Lole.
The full contents include The Rochester Service by Thomas Hewitt Jones, The Lincoln Service by Caroline Leighton, The Havana Service by Ben Ponniah, The Rotherhithe Service by Ghislaine Reece-Trapp, Evening Service in G by Amy Summers and The Swanage Service by Ian Wicks.
The collection also includes an order of service for evensong and performance notes.
Published by RSCM Publications, the collection is priced at £13.50.