Shchedryk
Oxford University Press
Published on 25. April 2024
Book
Pamphlet
12 pages
978-0-19-357284-3 (ISBN)
Description
for SATB and piano, organ, or other instruments
For his expressive and accessible arrangement of the popular melody known to many as 'Carol of the Bells', Whitbourn has written new lyrics that reflect the melody's true heritage, the Ukrainian folksong Shchedryk. The Ukrainian word 'Shchedryi' means 'bountiful', and the folksong depicts a swallow displaying its goods and predicting a prosperous new year. Whitbourn also draws on the symbolism of the swallow as a bird that signifies the miracle of God's Son coming in the human form, thus retaining the melody's strong association with the Christmas season. The piece is presented with a flexible accompaniment that may be adapted to suit the available forces, including piano, organ, or guitar and melody instruments.
For his expressive and accessible arrangement of the popular melody known to many as 'Carol of the Bells', Whitbourn has written new lyrics that reflect the melody's true heritage, the Ukrainian folksong Shchedryk. The Ukrainian word 'Shchedryi' means 'bountiful', and the folksong depicts a swallow displaying its goods and predicting a prosperous new year. Whitbourn also draws on the symbolism of the swallow as a bird that signifies the miracle of God's Son coming in the human form, thus retaining the melody's strong association with the Christmas season. The piece is presented with a flexible accompaniment that may be adapted to suit the available forces, including piano, organ, or guitar and melody instruments.
More details
Edition
Vocal score
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 1 mm
Weight
23 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-357284-3 (9780193572843)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Dr James Whitbourn graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, before embarking on a distinguished career as composer, conductor, producer and academic. He began his career in music at the BBC, from 1990 to 2001 he served as Editor of BBC Radio 3's weekly Choral Evensong series and he produced the BBC broadcasts of Carols from King's for more than thirty years. A member of Oxford University's Faculty of Music, Whitbourn was Fellow and Director of Music at St Edmund Hall, Senior Research Fellow at St Stephen's House, and Director of Music at Harris Manchester College. Whitbourn joined Oxford University Press as an exclusive house composer in 2019. His substantial catalogue has a focus on choral writing and is popular on both sides of the Atlantic - particularly his concert-length portrait of Anne Frank, Annelies; and the multi-media choral work Luminosity. Whitbourn's work has been recognised internationally, receiving four GRAMMY nominations. He died in March 2024.