Yearly Archives: 2018

Anna’s Song (Soprano and Piano)

Vocal

Luke tells of the prophet Anna and her contact with the baby Jesus in the Temple.

”The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. And now she was eighty-four years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.

At that time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.”
Luke 2:36-38 (Contemporary English Version-CEV)

We are only told that she “spoke of the child Jesus.” I decided to develop a song that would tell about her and what her “speaking” might have been. Thus I researched the Psalms for praise especially related to worship in the Temple. I also looked for Psalms of lament that could represent her sorrow in the loss of her husband.

The song opens with a call for everyone to shout praises to God. The first recitative-like section allows Anna to introduce herself and share about her sorrow. A song of lament follows which leads back to a declaration of confidence in God and a desire to praise Him in His Temple.

The second recitative-like section is presented as the words of Anna as she speaks of being old and spending her days in the Temple praying and fasting. However, God has granted her a great blessing. In a cry of joy she declares, “I have seen the promised Messiah.”

Length7 minutes and 50 seconds

Item #V-010
Price6.50

Two Christmas Songs

Vocal

The first song entitled, O See this Miracle of God, is a paraphrase of Luke 1:46-55 known from the Latin as the Magnificat with additional words by the composer. The second song, entitled, Carmen deo nostro, is based on the poetry of Richard Crashaw (about 1610-1650).

O See This Miracle of God (excerpt)
Carmen Deo Nostro (excerpt)

LengthApprox. 5 minutes
InstrumentationSoprano, Flute, and Harp

Item #V-008
Price11.95

Celebration! (Sacred Solos) – Volume II

Vocal

This new collection also contains songs in traditional, contemporary Christian, and gospel styles. Indices included, in addition to the Table of Contents, are alphabetical, topical and Scriptural. There is also a page showing the range of each of the songs.

TOPICAL INDEX

  • ASSURANCE !
    • I Can Face Anything
  • CHRISTMAS !
    • In A Stable
    • Who Would Have Thought?
  • COMMITMENT !
    • I Want To Follow Jesus
    • Take Time To Be Holy
  • LENT !
    • They Led Him Away
  • MISSIONS !
    • Not Just By Talkin’
  • PRAYER !
    • Keep On Praying
    • Help Me Make It Through Today
  • WITNESS !
    • The Lord Did Provide
    • We Have Today
Item #V-004
Price15.95
Low Vocal
Medium Vocal
High Vocal

We’re Marching to Zion (Organ)

Keyboard

The work opens with a type of fanfare, which leads to a simple statement of the tune accompanied at times by a bagpipe-like figure and at times by sevenths. Descending scales lead to an ostinato pattern, which forms a background to the second occurrence of the melody, which is heard on an 8’ stop in the pedal. The music segues into the first phrase of the tune now in 4/4 time. The phrase, which is repeated in sequence, modulates to the bright key of A major where the entire melody is heard with a chordal accompaniment. The work closes with a return of the opening fanfare in an extended presentation, which climaxes with fortissimo chords against fifths in the pedal.

DifficultyAdvanced

Item #K-004
Price3.50

Out Of The Depths

Keyboard

This work was commissioned by the Iowa Composers Forum through the Marilynn Etzel Piano Commission.
From the “depths” of crashing diminished octaves rise four chords from which most of the composition is derived. A continuous rise and fall of a melodic line with emphasis on fourths is constantly interrupted by the low diminished octaves and permutations of the four chords eventually leading to a repeated bass pattern and ascending melodies. An extended version of the four chords is heard in retrograde leading to the middle section. The much slower middle section has the “feel” of a waltz even though the time signatures are 7/8 and 5/8. Essentially lyrical in character the melodies here are interrupted from time to time by the “growling” repeated bass pattern. As the “waltzes” continue, the bass pattern comes more frequently and gets longer until it takes over completely leading back into a shortened version of the opening section. The work closes as it opened with the crashing diminished octaves and four chords.

DifficultyAdvanced

Item #K-003
Price7.50

Out of the Depths (Piano) performed at Music by Women Festival

Performances

At the second annual International Music by Women Festival at Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, MS, Out of the Depths, a work commissioned by Iowa Composer’s Forum through the Marilynn Etzel Piano Commission, was performed by the award-winning pianist Jonathan Levin, who recently made his solo debut at Carnegie’s Weill Hall. Mr. Levin is the the Artistic Director and Founder of the Clayton Piano Festival in Clayton, NC.  The Festival was held from March 1-3,  2018.