Philip Le Bas Music: SSA

Choral, Instrumental and Chamber Music Compositions and Arrangements

Welcome to this portfolio of musical compositions and arrangements, and thank you for your interest!

In the right-hand column beneath here you should see an alphabetical list of works. You can also choose a list of works with a particular label. Alternatively, you can search for a keyword. (Transcriptions and unpublishable works are listed in a page linked at the bottom, if you are interested.) The files here are all freely available. They do carry copyright, but feel free to adapt and/or perform them as you wish, as long as you print/acknowledge the originator (me!) It is always nice to hear from you if you use any of these compositions and arrangements (my email: philiplebas@gmail.com), but this is not a requirement. My main hope, as for many composers, is simply that the works are performed and appreciated. Happy music-making!

Philip

Key to linked files:

pdf = printed score or parts
mp3 = sound file
midi = midi sound file
mxl = compressed MusicXML source file
sib = Sibelius source file, mostly in Sibelius 8 or Sibelius Ultimate format

sib 6 = Sibelius version 6 source file

For access to many of these works via a commercial publisher, go to SheetMusicPlus/published-by-Philip-Le Bas

or SheetMusicDirect.com/en-US/Search.aspx?query=Philip Le Bas

For a complete list of choral works of mine with links to YouTube video scores click here: Choral works spreadsheet.

For my YouTube Channel click here: @philiplebas.

Showing posts with label SSA. Show all posts

Quiet Peace

Scoring: Choir (3 versions: SSABar, SATB, SSA) and piano

Date of composition: 2016 (latest update: 2022)

An original setting of a poem by Amy Carmichael (1867-1951), in the form of a prayer.

The piano here provides a constantly flowing ritornello throughout the verses, while the voices weave around it in a gentle wave of prayerful reflection. The poet feels an interior "quiet peace" while all around her there are storms and disquiet, because she knows that her Lord hears her voice. The setting is deliberately simple and undemanding, and it should be sung quietly, meditatively and without rushing.

My wife, Rev Canon Anne Le Bas, speaks about the poet in the following way, helping to put the words of the poem in perspective: "Amy Carmichael worked as a Christian missionary in India in the early twentieth century, among the poorest of the poor. She often felt despair, just as we may do when we see the devastation of war, still, again, tearing lives apart in our world. She wrote of her despair, but also of her trust that God heard her. That was what gave her the peace she needed, that gave her strength to go on."

SSABar version: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

SATB version: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

SSA version: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Words:

O Lord my heart is all a prayer,
But it is silent unto thee;
I am too tired to look for words,
I rest upon thy sympathy
To understand when I am dumb;
And well I know thou hearest me.

I know thou hearest me because
A quiet peace comes down to me,
And fills the places where before
Weak thoughts were wandering wearily;
And deep within me it is calm,
Though waves are tossing outwardly.

Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)

A Baby Crying

Version 1 scoring: SATB choir and piano
Date: 2015
Setting of "Carol of the Seekers" by Philip Britt (1917-1949)
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Version 1 scoring: SSA choir and piano
Date: 2015
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:

CAROL OF THE SEEKERS

We have not come like Eastern kings,
With gifts upon the pommel lying,
Our hands are empty, and we came
Because we heard a baby crying.

We have not come like questing knights,
With fiery swords and banners flying.
We heard a call and hurried here--
The call was like a baby crying.

But we have come with open hearts
From places where the torch is dying.
We seek a manger and a cross
Because we heard a baby crying.

Philip Britts, Christmas 1939

Magnificat (2 versions)

Version 1 scoring: SATB choir and organ
Date: 2016
A setting of the Magnificat Canticle from Luke 1:46-55 using verses by David Mowbray from the Church of England resource "Common Worship" *
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

YouTube video scores for practice:
Full version
Soprano and Alto
Tenor and Bass

Version 2 scoring: SSA choir and organ
Date: 2016
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

YouTube video scores for practice:
Full version
Soprano
Alto

For a lovely, live rendition of the SSA version sung by the Ladies of Eglantine see https://youtu.be/EPbR178t0vU?si=gG2QWZVqQioMnkLx

And another (October 2024):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RXNOVvYaZA

Words:

With Mary let my soul rejoice,

and praise God’s holy name –

his saving love from first to last,

from age to age the same!

How strong his arm, how great his power!

the proud he will disown;

the meek and humble he exalts

to share his glorious throne.

The rich our God will send away

and feed the hungry poor;

the arms of love remain outstretched

at mercy’s open door.

So shall God’s promise be fulfilled,

to Israel firmly made:

a child is born, a Son is given

whose crown will never fade.

All glory to the Father, Son

and Spirit now proclaim;

with Mary let the world rejoice

and praise God’s holy name!

Verses by David Mowbray

* https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/daily-prayer/canticles-daily-prayer/54c-magnificat-song-mary

O Holy Night (two versions)

Version 1 scoring: SATB choir and organ
Date: 2018
A simple arrangement of Adolphe Adam's "O Holy Night". The setting aims to enable choirs to sing this lovely piece of music without the need for excessive length or complexity, while retaining a degree of variety and passion.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

For a really excellent performance (December 2023) see https://youtu.be/JuvyjtaP2j0?t=2591 (starting at time 43:17)

Version 1a scoring: SATB choir and organ (adapted)
Date: 2021
This version is slightly adapted for choirs with fewer tenors and basses
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Version 2 scoring: SSA choir and organ
Date: 2018
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:

1 O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born.

2 Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, he guardeth us from danger.
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend.

3 Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever,
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim.

The Christ-Child (3 versions)

Version 1 scoring: SATB choir and piano
Date: 2015 (revised 2017)
G K Chesterton's Christmas Carol Poem is full of contrasts between the peace and beauty of the Christmas Nativity scene and the turmoil and "weariness" of the world. This original setting for for SATB choir and piano accompaniment brings out these contrasts in a simple but dramatic way.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Version 2 scoring: SSA choir and piano
Date: 2015 (revised 2017)
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Version 3 scoring: TBB choir and piano
Date: 2015 (revised 2017)
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:

1 The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)

2 The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

3 The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world's desire.)

4 The Christ-child stood on Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.

Watt's Cradle Carol (3 versions)

Version 1 scoring: SATB choir and organ
Date: 2015 (fully revised 2019)
An original composition based on the words of Isaac Watt's "Cradle Hymn" of 1706.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Version 2 scoring: SSA choir and organ.
Date: 2015 (revised 2017)
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Version 3 scoring: SATB choir (hymn-style)
Date: 2019
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Words:

1.
Hush, my dear; lie still and slumber
   Holy angels guard thy bed;
Heavenly blessings, without number,
   Gently falling on thy head.
Sleep, my babe! Thy food and raiment,
   House and home, thy friends provide,
All without thy care or payment;
   All thy wants are well supplied.

2.
How much better thou'rt attended
   Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven he descended,
   And became a child like thee!
Soft and easy is thy cradle;
   Coarse and hard thy Savior lay,
When his birthplace was a stable,
   And his softest bed was hay.

3.
Was there nothing but a manger
   Cursed sinners could afford
To receive the heavenly Stranger?
   Did they thus affront the Lord?
Soft, my child! I did not chide thee,
   Though my song may sound too hard
'Tis thy mother sits beside thee,
   And her arms shall be thy guard.

4.
See the kindly shepherds round him,
   Telling wonders from the sky;
There they sought him, there they found him,
   With his virgin mother nigh.
See the lovely Babe addressing;
   Lovely Infant! how he smiled!
When he wept, his mother's blessing
   Soothed and hushed the holy Child.

5.
Lo! he slumbers in a manger,
   Where the horned oxen fed
Peace, my darling! here's no danger
   Here's no ox a-near thy bed.
May'st thou live to know and fear him,
   Trust and love him, all thy days;
Then go dwell forever near him,
   See his face, and sing his praise.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)