Douglas E. Wagner

Combining Your Instrumental and Choral Ensembles...

I recently wrote on the topic of combining instrumental and choral ensembles for the Alfred Music Publishing newsletter. Here's an excerpt:

Ever since my teen years in high school, I've been drawn to music for large forces, specifically, concert openers and closers that bring together all of a music department's choral and instrumental students and directors. Not only do these works provide a heightened air of excitement for audiences, the performers also greatly benefit from being part of an invigorating musical whole. There is no better confidence builder for individual players and singers at any level than participating in a well-rehearsed massed offering.

My own extensive choral and instrumental background puts me in a unique position to deal with these rich textures, having performed in, written for, and conducted a variety of bands, orchestras, and choirs from elementary school to college in my career. As a composer and arranger, I cannot think of a more exhilarating experience than the creative process of writing a combined choral/instrumental work and then ultimately hearing it come to life.

Click here to read the entire newsletter -- and find out about some of my new releases.

The Glory of Christmas

Thank you, Desert Valley Christian Ringers and Symphony of the Southwest for this brilliant performance! Print materials (including a separate keyboard part to be used in the absence of symphonic forces) are available from Lorenz Publishing (www.lorenz.com).

 

Rhosymedre

Surely there cannot be a more beautiful way to start the day than experiencing the delicate strains from the middle movement of RVW's "Three Preludes (Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes)" for organ. My 2009 arrangement for strings (published by Alfred) is performed with a high degree of musicianship and emotion by the Thames Valley District Honour Orchestra.  

Fair Elms March

Although performances of marches seem to be on the decline here in the US, it's encouraging to note that other parts of the world still embrace this important form.

This was one of the very first band titles that I published almost 25 years ago.  

All Through the Night

I was so pleased this morning to stumble across this stunning audio and visual presentation of my just-released SSA setting of All Through the Night (Heritage Music Press). The vocal performance is top-drawer and the graphics are so captivating.

The arrangement is also available for SATB, and in the spirit of Welsh male choirs, TBB.

Fanfare and Processional

Jason Payne, staff organist at Briarlake Baptist Church (Decatur, GA), offers an athletic performance of a work I wrote 32 years ago for our wedding service. I've also played it to accompany academic processions. The sheet music is still available (print-on-demand) from Shawnee Press or jwpepper.com.

With a Song Deep Down In My Heart

This stunningly spirited performance of my With a Song Deep Down In My Heart (Shawnee Press) is offered by the talented women of the Abilene Christian University Concert Chorale, conducted by Dr. Sean Pullen.

Slane

Here's a very musical performance by the Riverside Junior High School Symphonic Band (Fishers, IN), conducted by Matt Harrod, of one of my early concert band works. This title, though published 16 years ago, is still frequently performed in concert and contest settings throughout the United States.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, writing for this level is where my heart lies. This is where our musical future begins and grows. And by all accounts it's thriving here in the Midwest.

If God Be For Us

Here's a powerful performance of one of my favorite anthems, recently broadcast on Robert Schuller's Hour of Power program from Garden Grove, CA.

http://vidego.streamingfaith.com/player.php?v=xikv1c2h

Common sense for choral writing

After just completing a string of concert band and orchestra works from my 2011 assignments list, I'm turning my attention to some choral items. To that end I'd like to share three helpful points that I recommend keeping in mind when writing for this idiom:

1. It's a good (and seemingly logical) idea to sketch out your choral parts first. If some accompaniment concepts present themselves along the way, then by all means jot them down, but concentrate your initial efforts on the most important part of the work.

2. Especially when writing for the educational or church market, try to keep repeated sections intact. There's no need to change notes just for the sake of change (you can always let the accompaniment provide any added color that you feel is needed). Believe me, directors and singers will thank you.

3. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind for clarity sake is to be sure that the bass line of the accompaniment matches the choral bass line. In other words, if the choral phrase ends on a root position chord, then the piano or organ part should do the same. Otherwise, you're more than likely to end up with a blurred or muddied sound in performance.