Choral Anthology 2 for Mixed Choir (SATB): Choral Works (inc. Oratorios) SATB Book

Ešenvalds writes for the voice in a way that feels genuinely grateful. These pieces sit well in the ensemble; the harmonies support the singers rather than fighting them. The collection spans different moods and text weights, giving you real variety for programming without requiring a separate pile of scores.

These pieces inhabit a contemplative, luminous space. The harmonies feel open and sometimes gently unsettled in a way that draws listeners in rather than unsettles them. Ešenvalds favors transparency over density, letting text and individual lines breathe.

This book works for intermediate to advanced high school choirs and community ensembles comfortable with contemporary harmonic language. Directors looking for modern choral repertoire that doesn't require soloists or unusual voicings will find solid material here.

• Listen to the recorded accompaniments before rehearsal to absorb the harmonic color Ešenvalds intends; his writing often depends on a specific chordal relationship that clicks once you hear it.
• Pay attention to text painting in pieces like 'Only in Sleep.' Ešenvalds uses subtle dynamic shifts and voiced changes to shape the emotional arc rather than obvious theatrical gestures.
• Balance the melodic lines across voices carefully. His tendency toward four-part writing means each voice sings something meaningful; no one gets purely filler material to support the sopranos.

Mix selections from this book into programs that need contemporary anchors alongside traditional repertoire. 'Amazing Grace' offers a way to program that familiar text with a completely modern harmonic palette, while the less-known pieces provide discovery moments that distinguish your concert from standard fare.

• Reading contemporary harmonic language with extended chords and suspended resolutions
• Balancing individual melodic lines within four-part writing
• Shaping phrases using text expression rather than dynamic extremes
• Responding to accompaniment support without over-relying on it