Product Description

European Sacred Music is a collection of over 50 of the finest examples of sacred choral music from continental Europe, ranging from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. John Rutter has prepared completely new editions of all the pre-twentieth-century items, going back to the earliest and most reliable manuscript or printed sources. New English singing translations are provided for most pieces, and playable keyboard reductions. Orchestrations are available for hire for the eight accompanied items (Bach: O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht; Buxtehude: Magnificat; Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine; Franck: Panis angelicus; Gabrieli: Jubilate Deo; Mendelssohn: Verleih uns Frieden; Monteverdi: Beatus vir; Mozart: Ave verum Corpus) Some items from this volume are available separately as leaflets in the Oxford Choral Classics Octavo series.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #124915 in Books
• Published on: 1996-11-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
There is no doubt that the European Sacred Music Choral Classics volume is one of the most important additions to the repertoire made in this century. The fame of this collection has spread so fast that it needs little comment from me, except to congatulate John Rutter on his great achievement. Here at last is an opportunity for choirs to broaden and enrich their musical and spiritual experience with the best works from the pens of Bruckner, Brahms, Lassus, Monteverdi, Palestrina, Reger, Verdi and Victoria. Russian composers are particularly well represented by works from Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Glinka and Tchaikovsky . . . This book is an absolute bargain, since it not only contains 54 anthems and motets, but also includes fascinating and erudite notes on every single piece, with sources always given. It goes without saying that every self-respecting choir should have a set of this valuable book in its library: so on with the coffee mornings and sponsored swims! (CMQ, April 97 )

Customer Reviews

Unbelievable value!
This is one of the finest collections of choral music, European or otherwise. Covering an enormous range (from 1500-1900), it manages to pick some of the most sumptuous moments from composers as diverse as Palestrina and Rachmaninov. 54 motets, with large, easily readable scores....Whatever the standard of your choir, you will find music here to both delight and challenge you. I defy anyone to find a better collection for even four times the money.

Oxford Choral Classics: European Sacred Music
Truly brilliant and beautiful. From Abendlied (German) to Bogoroditsye Dyeve (Russian) each piece is challenging yet achievable for any SATB choir.

A very useful resource
The type is very good to read (although the translations underneath can be a little frustrating), the paper quality a little thin, but that would naturally increase the price and make it more bulky.

What really pleases me about this collection is not only the collection itself (diverse and well chosen), but the details contained therein - the origins of the text and composers are well detailed, but also at the back are details of the origins of the piece, its possible orchestrations/original version etc. This is invaluable information that can be so hard to find.

This volume is useful and scholarly - for example the alternative edition of Allegri's Miserere. A must buy for choirs.