Edo Lullaby: Choral Works (inc. Oratorios)

The lullaby material brings a gentle, intimate quality, while the oratorio selections introduce broader emotional scope and narrative tension. Smith's harmonic language feels both contemporary and rooted in choral tradition.

This collection serves choirs seeking a mix of shorter choral works alongside extended oratorio excerpts. Directors building programs that include both standalone anthems and longer-form sacred works will find this particularly useful.

• Study the text-music relationship carefully; Smith's settings typically reveal how word emphasis shapes melodic contour and harmonic color.
• Pay attention to voice leading between parts, particularly in the oratorio sections where independent lines create textural depth rather than simple homophony.
• Use dynamic contrast as a primary interpretive tool; these works often depend on subtle shifts in volume to clarify structural moments and emotional turning points.

Program shorter selections from this collection for mid-concert repertoire, reserving oratorio excerpts for themed programs or as preparation for larger oratorio performances later in the season. The variety within the collection allows flexible programming depending on your choir's skill level and available rehearsal time.

• Singing sustained lines with consistent vocal tone across phrase boundaries
• Balancing independent voice parts in ensemble texture
• Interpreting text-driven phrasing in sacred and narrative contexts
• Responding to dynamic and structural shifts in extended choral forms