Discover music for your choir from the Choral Review Service. With songs of varying difficulty, instrumentation and style, the Choral Review Service will introduce you to inspiring, seasonal choral works from respected liturgical composers three times per year. Below are just a few examples of the music within the Fall 2022 packet with titles for Lent, Easter and Pentecost, plus a detailed description and insight on how to use each piece.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Steve Angrisano and Sarah Hart
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: Three-part Choir
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar, Assembly
Since the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938) in 2000 and the institution that same year of the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday, this devotion has only grown in popularity. The musical setting by Angrisano and Hart will allow the faithful to deepen this devotion by singing the three main prayers of the chaplet, which are recited or sung using the beads of the Rosary. Reverent and prayerful, this setting uses a contemporary subtonic-inflected harmonic scheme, a slow 6/8 meter, and vocal harmony.
Not Your Promised Heaven
Paulo k Tiról
Difficulty level: Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Solo, Descant
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar, Flute, Oboe
Richly scored for SATB choir with both descant and soloist parts, and accompanied by keyboard, guitar, flute, oboe, viola, cello, this contemporary piece uses dramatic harmonic language to paint a lush portrait of Christ’s sacrifice and of our resulting love for him.
You Are My Refuge
Christopher Walker
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Descant
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Solo Instruments, Assembly
With lyrics based on Psalm 91, this song is striking for its beautiful simplicity. The melody is especially memorable as it features a number of expressive leaps and a modal cadence to close the refrain. With its topics of comfort, trust, and God’s love for us, it can be used in many liturgical situations but is especially appropriate throughout Lent, at celebrations of Christian initiation, and at funerals.
Cristo Resucitó/Christ is Risen
Luis Bojos
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Solo Instrument in C, Assembly
This popular, Caribbean-style Easter song reflects the joy of the Resurrection of the Lord. The beautiful poetic text is based on the various Gospels during the Easter Season, describing appearances by Jesus to the disciples after his resurrection. Now with an English translation, its contagious melody will make it easy for people to sing together, uniting diverse generations, cultures, and communities as they joyfully proclaim, “¡Aleluya, Cristo resucitó! la madrugada del domingo! Christ is risen, alleluia, on the third day, Sunday morning!”
O Salutaris Hostia (O Saving Victim)
Robert Benson
Difficulty level: Medium
Voicing: TTB or SSA choir
This stirring setting of O Salutaris Hostia for a cappella TTB or SSA choir uses skillful part-writing and well-prepared dissonances to enhance the word painting of the traditional Latin text. Occasional chromatic harmonies, and brief touches on the lower vocal range for baritones or altos make this piece accessible to a men’s or women’s choir of medium skill level. It is well-suited for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Exposition of the Holy Eucharist (including Benediction).
Con Đường Chúa Đã Đi Qua/The Way of Love
Paul Van Chi
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SAB Choir
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Solo Instrument in C
With lyrics based on the Stations of the Cross, this has been a popular song in Vietnamese communities for decades. This beloved piece was translated into English in 2000 and is presented here, bilingually, with an updated arrangement in a straight-ahead common meter (some other arrangements have a swing feel) and is scored for SAB choir, keyboard, guitar, and solo instrument in C.
Explore more music from this season's edition
Choral Review Service
These songs can be found in Choral Packet 103 from the Choral Review Service. Offering music for traditional and contemporary choirs, children’s voices and intercultural ensembles, the Choral Review Service is the best way to find something new for your choir and community.