A List of Choral Music for Advent/Christmas
Here’s a diverse list of choral anthem suggestions for choirs of various sizes and abilities from the 2019 FAITHELEMENT.NET Worship Resources (last year) — a lectionary-based service for worship planners and church musicians. This list would be useful most any year, but was selected to fit the lectionary readings for the Sundays between December 1, 2019 and January 5, 2020 (Year A). I am presently preparing a new set of titles for this coming season (Year B).
2020 brought significant challenges to the world in general and certainly to the world of choral music. Goals and objectives for worship and church music have changed immensely (for the time being). However, because the music on this list is not only tasteful and inspiring but accessible, I’m sharing. It includes an indication of level of difficulty (Easy, Medium, Moderately Difficult).
[Note: a link to the Faithelement Worship Resources is found on the right panel of this blog.]
UNISON
Haugen, Marty, arr. – CHILD OF MY HEART. (U, pno, opt. C-insts) © 1992; GIA, G-3804 (E)
Hobby, Robert, arr. – ‘TWAS IN THE MOON OF WINTERTIME. (U, hb, fl, perc.) © 1995; Concordia, 98-3240 (E)
Joubert, John – TORCHES. (U/2-Pt, org) © 1991; Novello, 884088430399 (E)
Schoenfield, William, arr. – HOW FAR IS IT TO BETHLEHEM. (U, pno) © 1989; GIA, G-3181 (E)
SSA
Archer, Malcolm – BRIGHTEST AND BEST. (SSA, org) © 1990; Kevin Mayhew, 5101007 (E)
2-PART MIXED
Bender, Mark – ARISE, SHINE; FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME. (2-Pt Mixed, org) © 1985; Concordia, 98-2707 (E)
Ellingboe, Bradley, arr. – IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER. (2-Pt Mixed, pno) © 2001; Kjos, 8947 (E)
Hopson, Hal – LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS. (2-Pt Mixed, org) © 1990; Concordia, 98-2985 (E)
Rainey, Joel – LIGHT OF PEACE. (2-Pt Mixed, pno) © 2007; Hope, C5486 (E)
Rhoades, Bret, arr. – AMID THE COLD OF WINTER. (2-Pt Mixed, pno, opt. Solo) © 2004; Alfred, 22734 (E)
Wilberg, Mack, arr. – STILL, STILL, STILL. (2-Pt Mixed, pno, str) © 2006; Oxford, 9780193869271 (E)
SAB
Best, Jane – HOPE IS A SEED. (SAB, pno) © 2016; GIA, G-9116 (E)
Cooney, Rory, arr. – CANTLCLE OF THE TURNING. (SAB, kybd, opt C-insts) © 1990; GIA, G-3407 (E)
Haugen, Kyle, arr. – LOST IN THE NIGHT. (SAB, pno) © 2000; Augsburg, 0800659240 (M)
Haugen, Marty – ARISE, SHINE! (SAB, kybd, opt. C-insts) © 1988; GIA, G-3266 (E)
Hopson, Hal, arr. – O DAY OF PEACE. (SAB, org, opt. hb) © 1994; Augsburg, 0800653750 (E)
Horn, Richard – A SHOOT SHALL COME FORTH. (SAB, org) © 1992; MorningStar, MSM-50-0200 (E)
Marrolli, Karen – WALK IN LIGHT. (SAB, pno, vln) © 2016; MorningStar, MSM-50-5013 (M)
SATB (+)
Bach, J.S. – BREAK FORTH, O BEAUTEOUS HEAVENLY LIGHT. (SATB), Various publishers (M)
Baker, George, arr. – NOELS. (SATB, org) © 2000; Gentry, JG2261 (E)
Bankston, Jeremy, arr. – COME NOW, O PRINCE OF PEACE. (SATB, org, fl, perc.) © 2010; Augsburg, 0806698243 (M)
Batastini, Robert, arr. – GAUDETE. (SATB, hb, perc) © 1987; GIA, G-3056 (MD)
Bobb, James, arr. – ALL EARTH IS HOPEFUL. (SATB, pno, perc) © 2017; Augsburg, 9781506425641 (MD)
Carter, Andrew, arr. – A MAIDEN MOST GENTLE. (SATB, org) © 1990; Oxford, 0193430673 (E)
Dawson, William, arr. – MARY HAD A BABY. (SATB) © 1974; Kjos, T 118 (M)
Fedak, Alfred – NOW GREET THE SWIFTLY CHANGING YEAR. (SATB, org) © 1985; Concordia, 98-2691 (E)
Fedak, Alfred – WHEN GOD’S TIME HAD RIPENED. (SATB, kybd) © 1992; Selah, 405-214 (M)
Ferguson, John, arr. – COMFORT, COMFORT. (SATB, picc, cl, perc., opt. kybd) © 1987; Augsburg, 0800646356 (M)
Ferguson, John, arr. – HE COMES TO US AS ONE UNKNOWN. (SATB, org) © 1996; Augsburg, 0800656003 (M)
Helvey, Howard, arr. – LO, HOW A ROSE E’ER BLOOMING. (SATB, pno) © 2015; Beckenhorst, BP 2048 (E)
Hopson, Hal – THOU SHALT KNOW HIM WHEN HE COMES. (SATB, org) © 1982; H. Flammer, A 6009 (M)
Hovland, Egil – THE GLORY OF THE FATHER. (SSATB) © 1974; Walton, W2973 (M)
Jennings, Carolyn – CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN. (SATB, kybd, opt. Children) © 1981; Kjos, C8118 (M)
Kopylow, Alexander/Wilhousky, ed. – HEAVENLY LIGHT. (SATB) © 1937; C. Fischer, CM497 (M)
Larson, Lloyd, arr. – JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. (SATB, pno, opt. R&B) © 2018; Hope, C6152 (E)
Martin, Gilbert, arr. – GOOD CHRISTIANS ALL, REJOICE. (SATB, org) © 1982; Hinshaw, HMC–561 (MD)
Parker, Alice/Shaw, Robert, arr. – HOW FAR IS IT TO BETHLEHEM. (SATB) © 1961; Lawson-Gould, LG-51017 (E)
Powell, Rosephanye – THE WORD WAS GOD. (SSAATTBB) © 1996; Gentry, JG2196 (MD)
Running, Joseph – COME, THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS. (SATB, org) © 1995; MorningStar, MSM-50-0013 (E)
Rutter, John – NATIVITY CAROL. (SATB, org) © 1967; Oxford, 9780193429703 (M)
Schalk, Carl – BEFORE THE MARVEL OF THIS NIGHT. (SATB, org) © 1982; Augsburg, 0800646037 (M)
Schrader, Jack, arr. – MARY, DID YOU KNOW? (SATB, pno) © 1998; Hope, C-5133 (M)
Siegfried, Kevin, arr. – PEACE (from Shaker Songs). (SATB) © 1999; earthsongs, S-102 (E)
Wohlgemuth, Paul, arr. – OF THE FATHER’S LOVE BEGOTTEN. (SATB) © 1973; Hope, A-454 (M)
CHILDREN and YOUTH
CHILDREN
Bailey, Lynn/Mayo, Becki – COME, COME, EMMANUEL. (U, pno, opt. hb) © 2005; Choristers Guild, CGA 1031 (E)
Berg, Ken, arr. – THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE. (U, pno, clo) © 2003; Colla Voce, 20-96460 (E)
Burkhardt, Michael, arr. – MARY, MARY. (2-Pt Any, pno, opt. hb) © 2011; Choristers Guild, CGA 1216 (E)
Hopson, Hal, arr. – DANCE AND SING, THE LORD WILL BE WITH US (U/2-Pt, pno) © 1996; Choristers Guild, CGA 749 (E)
Kemp, Helen – A WAITING CAROL. (U, kybd, opt. drm, rec) © 1991; Choristers Guild, CGA 555 (E)
Patterson, Mark – ADVENT CELEBRATION. (U/2-Pt, pno, opt. perc) © 2009; Choristers Guild, CGA 1159 (E)
YOUTH
Christopher, Keith, arr. – ADVENT ALLELUIA. (2-Pt Mixed, pno) © 1992; Hal Leonard, 08747998 (E)
Hayes, Mark, arr. – THERE IS A GREAT JOY COMING (from Celebrate Life). (SATB, pno) © 2018; Alfred, 00-46887 (M)
Hopson, Hal, arr. – PREPARE THE ROYAL HIGHWAY (U/2-Pt, pno) © 1995; MorningStar, MSM-50-0301 (E)
Kantor, Daniel – NIGHT OF SILENCE (U, Desc., kybd) © 1984; GIA, G-2760 (E)
Keesecker, Thomas – CHILDREN, LET’S WAIT FOR THE BABY. (SAT(B), pno) © 2010; Choristers Guild, CGA 1105 (M)
Petker, Robert Alan, arr. – PREPARE THE WAY. (SAB, pno) © 1996; John Rich, JR0012 (M)
SING! CHOIRS OF ANGELS
