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Preces and Responses: SATB Choral Octavo

$3.99 USD
$3.99 USD
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Preces and Responses Cover Image
Preces and Responses: SATB Choral Octavo

Preces and Responses: SATB Choral Octavo

By Matthew Martin

Level: Intermediate

Item: 12-057153712X
$3.99
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Description
Preces and Responses (SATB) is an exquisite set of preces and responses composed for the choir of Merton College, Oxford. Perfectly balancing classic sounds with a splash of contemporary sonority, these responses provide an exciting alternative to more traditional sets. A great investment for cathedral, college and church choirs around the country.

The Faber Choral Signature Series introduces a wealth of new or recently written choral music to choirs in search of fresh repertoire. The series draws in a rich diversity of living composers and includes both lighter and more challenging contemporary works, offering a thrilling array of varied styles.

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Additional Details
Series: Faber Edition: Choral Signature Series
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-53712-X
ISBN13: 978-0-571-53712-9
SKU: 12-057153712X

More about this title

Why we love this

Martin's approach to the preces and responses genre refuses to feel antiquated or merely decorative. These settings bring genuine harmonic interest and contemporary voice leading to a liturgical form that can easily slip into rote performance, making them genuinely rewarding to rehearse and hear sung well. For choirs wanting to refresh their liturgical rotation without abandoning the structural familiarity that makes these pieces work in worship, this set offers real musical substance.

What to expect

Grounded in the solemn dignity of traditional liturgical music yet infused with the harmonic language and textural variety of modern composition. Martin's settings maintain clarity and directness while introducing unexpected color and emotional depth.

Who it's for

Cathedral, college, and church choirs with solid sight-reading skills and an appetite for contemporary sacred music that honors liturgical function. These settings work equally well in worship and in concert programming, making them ideal for choirs balancing regular service work with repertoire exploration.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the harmonic progressions carefully, especially where Martin introduces chromatic or unexpected sonorities; these moments define the contemporary character and deserve clarity rather than glossing over.
  • Attend to phrase arching across the full text rather than breaking at obvious punctuation; the musical shape often extends beyond what the liturgical words alone suggest.
  • Layer dynamics subtly to shape the harmonic tension and release, letting the choir discover where the music naturally wants to breathe.

How to use it

Use these as your regular liturgical preces and responses during a season of worship, allowing the choir and congregation to grow familiar with the contemporary sonority. They also program beautifully on concert programs of sacred music, paired with both traditional and contemporary pieces to illustrate how the genre continues to evolve.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading contemporary harmonic language and chromatic voice leading
  • Sustaining focused intonation in non-traditional chord progressions
  • Balancing clarity of text projection with complex harmonic material
  • Understanding the function of preces and responses within liturgical contexts

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