Bright Morning Stars
Jay Anthony Gach
About this work:
The tune and text of “Bright Morning Stars” have a long history in American church hymnals though, to my knowledge, this is the only a cappella four part arrangement.
The familiar first verse, "Bright Morning Stars", is featured as a refrain, setting off several call and answer stanzas between the women and the men. The pace is straight ahead Bible Belt enthusiasm, not much rubato excepting at the cadences and certainly no vibrato. Should your chorus wish to capture some of the flavor of bluegrass singing, aim for a brassy, straight-tone almost nasal singing style. The style can be further enhanced by interpreting the many grace notes in the individual parts as the scoops and dips of a southern drawl. JAG 2/1/05
Version: a cappella satb
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 03:30:20
Ensemble type: Chorus, with or without Solo Voices:Chorus, Unaccompanied
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: some divisi within the individual parts