Discover the right music for your choir with help from the Choral Review Service. Highlighting songs of varying difficulty, instrumentation and style, the Choral Review Service will introduce you to inspiring, seasonal choral works from respected liturgical composers three times per year. Below are just a few examples of the music within the Fall 2024 packet with titles for Lent, Easter and Pentecost, plus a detailed description and insight on how to use each piece.
What Light Is Rising
Katie Wills and Sarah Hart
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SAB Choir
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar, Assembly
This piece features text from the hymnary Unite Our Hearts and beautifully captures the theme of the light of Christ’s resurrection shining in our lives. The minor tonality supports its mysterious nature and amplifies the powerful text; it will be appropriate for use during the season of Easter and for themes of light.
Celebrate Resurrection Day
Chris Muglia and Leia Wasbotten
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: Three-part Choir
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar
With its exciting, driving beat, this piece is a great selection for energetic choral programs especially those that include a strong rhythm section—looking for a new praise-and-worship-style song. Featuring call-and-response elements throughout the piece, optional ad libs, and a memorable double-time gospel-feel ending, this is a rousing song for assemblies to sing (and even clap!) along to.
Ave Verum Corpus
Ricky Manalo, CSP
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Descant
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar, Flute, Oboe
Ave Verum Corpus” is a multilingual Communion hymn inspired by the text ascribed to Pope Innocent VI (d. 1362). This hymn consists of eight verses, designed to accompany Communion processions in various settings, ranging from small gatherings to large assemblies. The combination of the refrain and the eight verses draws from the rich heritage of the Roman Catholic Eucharistic tradition. The melody of “Ave Verum Corpus” is composed to be accessible for congregational singing. It can be performed in various worship settings and in diverse cultural communities; Verse 5, in particular, has six language options!
Alleluia, Jesus Is Risen
Justin Krueger
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SAB Choir
Instrumentation: Piano, Guitar, Flute
This joyful piece for the Easter season features a captivating, uplifting melody that proclaims the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. With its distinctive opening leap, memorable melodic profile, and swinging 6/8 rhythm, assemblies will surely join in singing this joyful refrain. The text focuses on themes of discipleship, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, love for others, love of God for us, ministry/mission, and praise.
Come, Receive This Mystery
Luke Mayernik
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Descant, Optional Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Solo Instrument in C
Grounded in the tradition of chant, but with a decidedly modern choral sensibility, this useful Eucharistic hymn is scored for SATB choir, descant, and optional soloist(s) accompanied by keyboard and solo instrument in C. Its memorable refrain reflects the dignity and grace of the liturgical moment yet remains accessible and easily learned by the assembly, making it ideal for longer Communion processionals. The six verses each begin with a chanted portion of AVE VERUM CORPUS followed by a metered turnaround with an optional wordless choral ornament
Three Hymns for the Easter Season
Christopher Walker and Sr. Paule Freeburg DCC
Difficulty level: Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Brass Quartet
This short compilation of original hymns by Christopher Walker on texts by Sr. Paule Freeburg may be sung throughout the Easter Season. The first hymn, “Christ is Risen,” is appropriate for Easter Day; the second, “We Are Made One,” is softer and suitable for later in the Easter Season as Pentecost approaches; and the third, “Spirit of Christ Jesus,” is fitting for Pentecost. The three hymns are stylistically similar, all being linked by their use of chromatic mediant harmonies and a declamatory rhythmic freedom.
Explore more music from this season's edition
Choral Review Service
These songs can be found in Choral Packet 109 from the Choral Review Service. Offering music for traditional and contemporary choirs, children’s voices and intercultural ensembles, the Choral Review Service is the best way to find something new for your choir and community.