Vive l'Amour: Love Songs for Men's Voices: TTBB Choral Book
Love Songs for Men's Voices
Arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
Item: 00-PB-0002401
Digital Download
$6.95
Minimum order quantity: 10 copies
Please note: Under U.S. copyright law, you must purchase the exact number of copies needed for your ensemble. Printing, duplicating or sharing additional copies is strictly prohibited.
Five classic settings of love songs for men's voices are joined together in this new collection. May be performed separately or as a suite. Titles: Loch Lomond * Green Grow the Rashes, O * Stodole Pumpa * Down by the Sally Gardens * Vive l'Amour.
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Alice Parker studied composition and conducting at Smith College and Juilliard, where she forged a creative partnership with Robert Shaw that would shape American choral music for decades. Together they produced hundreds of settings of folk material, hymns, and spirituals that remain central to the repertoire. Parker's prolific output includes over five hundred published works spanning operas, cantatas, song cycles, and individual anthems, with her scholarly work on melody, choral improvisation, and congregational singing continuing to inform music education and practice.
Why we love this
Parker and Shaw's gift for folk arrangement lies in their refusal to complicate the essential character of each melody. These five settings honor the directness and warmth that make folk songs resonate with singers, while the flexible voicing options (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB) let you meet your ensemble exactly where it is. Programmed as a suite or woven individually throughout a concert season, this collection delivers repertoire that sounds immediately authentic to singers and audiences alike.
What to expect
These arrangements breathe with the ease of songs people have sung for generations. There's a natural warmth in the harmonies and a directness that invites singers to connect with the text and melody rather than get caught in complexity. Each piece carries its own character, from the Scottish reflectiveness of Loch Lomond to the playful energy of Stodole Pumpa.
Who it's for
Men's choirs at any level will find accessible, singable material here. Whether you're building repertoire for a concert or seeking pieces that work as standalone choices, this collection offers folk melodies arranged with enough sophistication to feel fresh without demanding technical virtuosity.
How to get the most out of it
Maintain a conversational tone throughout; these settings thrive on simplicity and directness rather than theatrical expression.
Let the lower voices anchor the harmonic foundation without doubling the melody line. The clarity of the tune depends on space around it.
Consider the narrative arc if you perform all five as a suite. Vary your approach to tempo and dynamic shape across pieces to sustain interest.
The flexible voicing means you can adjust the piece in rehearsal if certain voice parts feel thin. Trust the architecture Parker and Shaw created.
How to use it
Build an entire concert around this suite, letting the five songs form a thematic arc about love and longing across cultures. Alternatively, distribute individual pieces throughout a season of performances to anchor your programming with material that audiences recognize and enjoy. The flexible voicing makes these particularly valuable for transitions in year to year as your ensemble changes.
Skills your students will build
Singing folk melody with authentic phrasing and text delivery
Balancing harmonic support with melodic clarity in TTBB writing
Adjusting voicing and blend across different ensemble sizes
Understanding arrangement principles that honor traditional material
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