A very poignant song. Phrases such as "Hush little baby, don't you cry, you know your mama was born to die," or "Oh my brothers, I must leave you here behind," view the approach of death in terms of those

A true masterpiece for a cappella chorus. The name Randall Thompson is as much a part of choral music as is the voice. Once you've mastered this, you'll have a truly stunning performance piece. His

The beloved hymn Be Thou My Vision has long been part of our rich musical heritage of hymnody. The text is by St. Dallan Forgaill (6th Century Irish), and the tune is Slane (Traditional Irish),

A spirited musical retelling of a timeless Jewish folktale about the consequences of gossip. This colorful setting pairs the fable sung in Yiddish with a spoken narration of the story in English to be

Freight Train combines the speed of a train with nostalgic remembrances of places traveled. "There's one more place I'd like to see... to watch those Blue Ridge Mountains climb while I ride Old

This vibrant and celebrative piece, written in the style of an African-American spiritual, is written for soprano or mezzo-soprano solo, SATB divisi and piano. The piece gradually builds in intensity and

A traditional memorial text with spiritual roots has been adapted by the composer in a setting that is simple and honest. With an unadorned melody set in a beautiful musical language with open, transparent

Adapted from the idea of the American folk song A Man of Constant Sorrow, Walker's Maid of Constant Sorrow has a very simple melody with a mournful message. That the soul is troubled and

This expressive setting of Sara Teadale's poem The Mystery, which depicts deep lasting love, begins with a unison melody, supported by modulating harmonies in the piano accompaniment, and evolves

The syncopated homophonic choral texture, with high tessituras, exudes the drama and excitement called for in Sara Teasdale's poem, and it balances the expansive gestures of the piano accompaniment. Vivid

This a cappella setting of the traditional Latin text for Christmas features a lush harmonization and a unique melodic voice. With significant divisi, this challenging work features some mixed meter and

An assuring text from master poet Sara Teasdale, its central theme is that one can take refuge in singing. Ever sensitive to the text, Walker crafts word painting throughout with shimmering piano

The first movement of Two Suffrage Songs is an adaptation of the spiritual Jesus, Won't You Come by Here? in which the singers call out for others to join the cause. A jaunty

In just six lines of poetry, this well-known and highly-regarded hymn, Spirit of Life, deals with nearly all the key concepts cherished by one's faith. Set solo flute, piano/harp and SATB

Three Pieces for Chanukah is not so much a set of arrangements of familiar words and tunes as it is a set of original compositions based on them. The first piece, Oh, Chanukah/Y'meit

Paulo, an incarcerated youth in the Free Minds Book Club & Writing workshop, shares, through his poetry, his experience being in the courtroom to hear his sentencing. The composer sets the text