Mixed voices

Song cycles for unaccompanied mixed choir

With original texts by Alexander McCall Smith:

• Scotland at Night, a set of six songs describing the Scotland that begins at dusk. Published by Goodmusic.

• The Painter's Eye, a set of five songs inspired by famous paintings. Published by Goodmusic.

• A Time of Gifts, a set of six songs on the theme of gifts and giving: a mixture of sentiment and humour. Published by Goodmusic.

Scotland at Night and The Painter's Eye have been recorded on Delphian Records DCD34060 by Laudibus.  See Recordings for more information.

• Ninian's Gift, a setting for unaccompanied SATB (no divisi) specially written about St Ninian and other Scottish saints. First performance 24th September 2020 at the Wigtown Book Festival.  ‘Bravo both. It is a really remarkable piece.’ – Stuart Kelly, Critic.  Download the score free of charge and watch the première performance here.

• Incredible Beasties, seven light-hearted texts for SATB choir.  Download the whole score free of charge.

Other compositions for mixed voices

• Cantata for Peace, for SATB and orchestra (oboe, trumpet, strings) or can be performed with piano or organ.  Seven movements (including two for solo singers which can be sung unison by the choir sopranos if preferred).  The  texts are from the bible. Published by Goodmusic.

Song cycle for SATB and piano: 

• The Circling Year, a setting of four poems (one for each season) by William Soutar, commissioned by Chansons, Perth’s Chamber Choir, to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2019.  First performance 28 April 2019. Published and sold by Goodmusic. You can see the whole score on their website.  You can listen to the première by Chansons conducted by Howard Duthie here: Crocus, The Lea, The Turn of the Year, Winter Song.

Poems

• Setting of a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson The Gates of Gold.  Download the whole score free of charge and hear the whole piece here. 

• Setting of a poem by Marjorie Pickthall (1883–1922) Stars.  Download the score free of charge and hear the whole piece here.

Christmas pieces for SATB and piano or orchestra: 

• Merry Christmas Jazz, watch an adaptation for a solo ensemble on YouTube.  

• Los Pastores a Belén, listen to an mp3.

• En Belén tocan a fuego, watch on YouTube, or listen to an mp3.  

• Esta Noche, watch on YouTube,  also here and here.  See an enthusiastic programme note here.

The three Spanish numbers can be performed as a sequence. All published by Hinshaw Music with piano accompaniment.  They can be purchased from Hal Leonard or, for UK and other European customers, from Music Shop Europe.  

Christmas pieces for SATB a cappella: 

• Sir Christèmas for SSATBB published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton.  

• Sweet was the Song (with divisi) purchasable from Hal Leonard or, for UK and other European customers, from Music Shop Europe - watch a performance on YouTube; a version for upper voices SSSAA is available free of charge.  

• Dormi, Jesu! for SATB: you can download the score free of charge here.

Christmas pieces for SATB with piano: 

• For unto us a child is born published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton.  View the whole score.  There is also an accompaniment for full symphony orchestra (as played by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) available from Goodmusic.  Listen to a computer-generated version with piano here or with orchestra here.

Other sacred pieces for SATB with organ: 

• I will lift up mine eyes (Psalm 121) published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton, watch a performance  here.  

• Jesus is Born, published and sold by Jubilate.

Folk songs and spirituals: 

• Ye Banks and Braes (SSATBB unaccompanied) watch a performance here

• Rock o' my soul (SATB div. with piano), published by Hinshaw Music.  They can be purchased from Hal Leonard or from Music Shop Europe

• Auld Lang Syne (SATB unaccompanied or with piano, also available for TTBB)

• Loch Lomond (SATB unaccompanied) published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton listen to a performance here; 

• Wild Mountain Thyme (SATB unaccompanied) unpublished, download free of charge and listen to the whole piece. 

Other: 

• The Good-Bye Jazz (SATB with optional piano) published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton: see performances on YouTube here and  here.  

• When I'm Sixty-four (Lennon-McCartney, arranged for SATB with divisi, see a page), request here: listen to a verse sung by Kalliope from Ghent.

• The Language of Love, a new setting for SATB (no divisi) of four poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley (in English), Louise Labé (in French), Heinrich Heine (in German) and Francesco Petrarca (in Italian). First performance 24 June 2016.  Viewable, published and sold by Goodmusic/Roberton.