10 popular pastorale movements
With his celebrated Pastorale from his Christmas Concerto, Arcangelo Corelli triggered a veritable boom in the Italy of the Baroque Era, which soon spread to other countries. In sensitive, easily singable arrangements, this present collection makes the most popular pastoral movements – those by Corelli, Manfredini, Locatelli among others, furthermore, the shepherd’s from Handel’s Messiah and the Sinfonia from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio – accessible to choirs. The underlain lyrics, which are subtly based on the music (all with a singable English translation), have been taken from Christmas poems by Baroque poets. Thus, touching new Christmas songs for choir have been composed in which solemnity and gentle pastoral melody are consummately unified. The organ accompaniment (ad lib), which has been mostly orientated on the choral setting (colla parte), provides support for the vocal parts and lends the choral arrangements an added celebratory splendour. A great enrichment for Christmas choral concerts and festive occasions!