A song of lost love! Suitable for male or female young voices, it is intended for teenage choirs. An additional item of percussion is desirable - sandpaper blocks adding a quaver pulse (eight note) - not hi-hat or shakers - the pulse needs to be entirely accent-free. The sandpaper must stop in the musical gaps (it's obvious when you hear the piece).
The free PDF download includes a full score, choir sheet and lyric sheet.
Free Score
Difficulty
Free to download
Easy
Listen to recording - 2m 50s
SATB Choir
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
- Parry arr. Alun Cook
SATB Choir
This is the SATB Choir sheet which may be used in conjunction with the Brass accompaniments found elsewhere on this site. The original, "Long Since in Egypt's Plenteous Land" was part of the Parry's Oratorio "Judith", with words added later by John Whittier. I have arranged this for Brass Quintet, 10 Piece Brass Ensemble and Brass Band, and it has been performed at many weddings, both as an instrumental and as a hymn. However, you will hear that the congregation need to be musical or have some sort of direction as there are several traps to fall into if they are only used to this as a hymn. If you have a choir to hand then this SATB version will make leading the congregation much easier. If the congregation are musical, as they were at this composer's wedding, they will need little help.
Free Score
Difficulty
Free to download
Easy
Listen to recording - 4m 23s
SOPRANO, CLARINET and PIANO
Love on the Levels
- Trad./Alun Cook
for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano
The Somerset Levels that is! Written for the combination famously used by Schubert in "Shepherd on the Rock", this set of songs are taken from the collection "Folk Songs from Somerset" published in 1904 by Cecil Sharp. The first, Bridgwater Fair, is a traditional setting. The second,
The Drowned Lover keeps the original melody and words but the harmonies are much more developed. The third,
The Witch of Wookie Hole uses two folk melodies but the words are my own and tell of a Somerset legend.
Bridgwater Fair - Cecil Sharpe heard this sung by William Bailey of Cannington and Henry Tindall of Wedmore, and is similar to many folk tunes heard around the country with the words adapted to suit the locality. The folk of the local villages of Stowey, Stogursey, Cannington and Fiddington are off to the fair but the unreasonable request of the curmudgeonly narrator is that Master John ignores the real delights of the fair - something that no self-respecting young lad is likely to even consider.
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate
Listen to recording - 2m 20s
The Drowned Lover - This sad lament, mourning the death of a sailor discovered washed up on the beach by his lover, was recorded by Cecil Sharp in Bridgwater. Sung by Mr James Bale who comes from a sea-faring family of many generations, the song mostly likely originates from the battle of Sole Bay (rather than Stokes Bay).
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate
Listen to recording - 3m 30s
The Witch of Wookey Hole - There is a tale that a mysteriously shaped Stalagmite in the caves at Wookey is really the remains of a Witch who came to a bad end. This story tells of how it might have happened. The music combines the melodies of "Blow Away the Morning Dew" (heard in Hambridge and Compton Martin), and "Just as he Tide was a-flowing" (from Curry Rivel).
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate
Listen to recording - 4m 13s
Love on the Levels - Complete
To purchase the score and parts, click the Buy Now Button. On completion of purchase
you must click Return to Merchant.
This will take to the page containing the music. Please save the page and print at your leisure.
Score and Parts - $16.00
Three Runcible Songs
- Alun Cook/Edward Lear
for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano
Written for the combination famously used by Schubert in "Shepherd on the Rock", this set of
Three Runcible Songs use the "Nonsense" verses of Edward Lear. Light hearted in nature and may be sung in any order or individually. The three pieces were composed for
The Millfield Trio and you can find them on Facebook
Dingle Bank bemoans the fate of some mythical Liverpool school children. It should be played as fast as the Soprano feels her diction can survive, and performed with a comical attitude.
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate
Listen to recording - 1m 52s
The Owl and the Pussy-cat is a famous childrens' poem, told to generations of English youngsters. This is a slow lyrical piece but needs flexiblilty and a touch of humour to perfect. Don't be afraid to play around with the tempos.
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate, but with a hard clarinet section
Listen to recording - 3m 54s
Calico Pie is truly "Nonsense", with Calico Jam and a Syllabub Sea and features a Willeby-Wat and birds who sing "Tilly-Loo", but don't worry - they never come back!
View sample
Difficulty
Moderate
Listen to recording - 2m 55s
Performances are by MOSAIC (formerly The Millfield Trio) for whom this set of songs were written. They are based in Wells in Somerset - Maria Marton (soprano), Mark Tromans (clarinet/sax) and Nicola Bracey (piano)
Three Runcible Songs - Complete
To purchase the score and parts, click the Buy Now Button. On completion of purchase
you must click Return to Merchant.
This will take to the page containing the music. Please save the page and print at your leisure.
Score and Parts - $16.00
Where is the Light!
- Alun Cook
Trio for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano
"Shepherd on the Rock" this is not, but written for the same combination. If you feel the need for a less "classical" piece in your concert programme this might well fit the bill. A song of unrequited love with a slight rocky feel and a decorative clarinet part. It could be sung by a small unison choir although but there is also a version (without the clarinet) for 3 part female/boys choir with piano.
View sample
Difficulty
To purchase the score and parts, click the Buy Now Button. On completion of purchase
you must click Return to Merchant.
This will take to the page containing the music. Please save the page and print at your leisure.
