Juan Orrego-Sala, a noted Latin American composer, is Professor Emeritis of Composition and Latin American Music at the Indiana University School of Music. This charming set of Christmas pieces reflects his native country, Chile, not only in the language, but in the characteristic rhythms and harmonies. The second of the three, Alleluya, can be extracted for year-round performance, and, although diminutive in length, deserves a place along side the well-known "Alleluia" by Randall Thompson with whom the composer studied.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Longfellow wrote the text, entitled Christmas Bells, in 1863. During that Christmas season, the poet's son was critically wounded in a war, and the text expresses his father's anguish over was and his longing for peace on earth. The message is as timely today as it was over 125 years ago.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

This canon at the fourth has the simplest melodic material, which when combined in two and four voices achieves an interesting and contrapuntal effect. It can provide students an easy entrance into the flavor of the simple four-part music which sounds much more complex than it is.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

An imitative part and a lively counter-melody accompany the simple refrain of this spiritual, contrasted by the verse in which singing in parallel thirds is practiced.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Written mainly as SSA, this piece divides into 5 parts.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Hold the Wind, a simple yet stirring melody in the mixolydian mode, was sung by a blacksmith. The simple harmonization highlights the beauty of the melody.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Arranged with a simple and accessible vocal accompaniment that enhances the intense hope expressed in the text and melody. Stepwise contrapuntal melodic phrases and repeated harmonic patterns provide a carpet of vocal sounds for the inspiring melody. Builds to an effective climax in the coda with an unexpected harmonic turn.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Arranger: Mary Goetze

This short piece was written early in Schein's life and is typical of the Italian madrigal. The polyphonic writing offers each voice a melodic line to shape, and imitation to listen for the other voices. Kikkehihi is a rousing way to begin a program and to introduce the choir and audience to the charm of madrigals.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

In three sections, this piece employs overlapping legato entries marked by mild dissonance. This piece is a model of expressive writing and sung sensitively, will be moving both to audiences and performers.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

This familiar fiddle tune of our American heritage is arranged in a playful setting which captures the flavor of the jocular text.

Arranger: Mary Goetze | Composer: Traditional

This Russian folk song is transcribed and arranged here based on a version sung by Olga and Kristina Bashirin in Irkutsk, Russia, in July of 1993. Includes both English and Russian text with pronunciation guide for the Russian.

Arranger: Lana Walter

Mary Goetze presents here a setting of the most familiar variant of this traditional folk ballad in which two lovers make impossible requests of each other. The texture shifts from homophonic to imitative counterpoint. Brief dissonances created and resolved by stepwise progression of the accompanying voices reflect the bittersweetness of the text.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

This familiar song is set with very simple ideas which complement and support the motion of the beautiful melody. The accompanying voices can be learned quickly, for they sing like melodies and progress by step.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Arranger: Mary Goetze

The text for Sing as the Prairie was written by John Neihardt, who was revered by Nebraskans as their poet laureate. Because his love of nature is evident in each phrase, the music incorporates the enchanting sounds of nature and the prairie.

Arranger: Mary Goetze

Arranger: Mary Goetze