The Narrow Passage is composed by Jane Johnson.

The Narrow Passage

Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor Sängergruß (2023). TTBB, 1'30". Premiered 5 Nov 2023 at the Fall Concert of the Damenchor Wald-Echo with the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor, Jacqueline Smith director, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, Warminster PA.

A Sängergruß is a choir's greeting to its audience. There are generic choral greetings, but many choirs have Grüße especially composed for them. I wrote this for the choir I've been a member of since 2012, the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor. Founded in 2005 from the merger of the Franklinville and the Schwarzwald Männerchöre (former choirs of their respective clubs), the FSM is the last of the Philadelphia-area German men's choirs. Under the direction of Jacqueline Smith, it is active and growing. I am its current President, and composed this is 2023, after we uncovered an older Gruß composed for the Schwarzwald by Theodore Koerner. The text was written/drafted in German and English by me, and then put into excellent German by member and Past President Gregor Helmkamp.

There were two inspirations for this piece. Felix Mendelssohn is one, whose Männerchor works are, like all of Mendelssohn's works, stupefyingly brilliant and subtle, yet sounding as easy and inevitable as a guy falling off a log. The second inspiration is Theodore Koerner.

You've never heard of Ted Koerner, but he was the longtime director of the Schwarzwald Männerchor. His own Sängergruß, written as his audition piece for the choir in 1945, is easily more accomplished, more sure, more professional, more true, and more exciting than 95% of choral music published today. He was a master from whom any composer could learn.

Text:
Von vielen Orten und auch Ländern
stehen wir vor Euch nun hier,
mit uns’ren Stimmen, Herzen, und Händen
im Sang geloben wir:

Das wahre Wort im reinen Klang
das singen wir Euch vor
mit klarem Geist und frohem Sang,
der Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor.

Translation:
From many places, many lands
we stand before you now,
and with our voices, hearts, and hands
we sing in solemn vow:

True word and pristine sounds from here
to you in song we pour,
with spirits clear and joyous song, we’re
the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor.

Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor Sängergruß

Composer: Mark Payne
Performance: Primus - Amabile Men's Choir
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music Inc.

visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

Demain dés l'aube - by Mark Payne

Composer/arranger: Mark Payne
Performance: Amabile Men's Choir (PRIMUS)
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music Inc.

visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

Fish In The Sea - by Mark Payne

Composer: Larry Nickel
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music

visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

Salvador de mi Alma - with piano - by Larry Nickel

My heart,
The sun hath set.
Night's paths
With dews are wet.

Sleep comes
Without regret.
Stars rise
When sun is set.

All's well;
God loves thee yet.
Heart, smile,
Sleep sweet, nor fret.

-- William A. Quayle

All's Well (TTBB)

A vintage recording of the Craven Arms Men's Chorus, circa mid-1960s.

CAMC, c.1965

With A Voice of Singing

When A Felon's Not Engaged in His Employment

Plymouth Town

Sound Ye Trumpets

Video Game style loop for tension building into a big fight.

The Abyss is Inevitable

Singer, musician, composer, choral director, wife & mum

Wonderful Choral Music from Canada for all types of choirs

Dragon of the Ivy is  a company owned and managed by Jane Johnson. Presently, all music is contracted through NorthStar music for music library purchase and/or distribution through all music platforms worldwide.  Thanks to all for listening!!!!

New tracks tagged #Men&#x27;s Choir

New tracks tagged #Men's Choir