Sacred Choral Music Repertoire: Insights for Conductors

This comprehensive and ambitious study is the first of its kind, focusing entirely on a large and diverse canon of six centuries of sacred choral repertoire that remains in worship presentation and performance to this day. Written and compiled by Tim Sharp, together with chapters by Jennifer Kerr Budziak and Kevin Padworski and contributions from 39 practicing church choir directors, Sacred Choral Music Repertoire is an in-depth exploration of 173 short- to medium-length anthems and single movements from larger sacred works. The large body of sacred music presented in this book was determined by surveys of practicing church musicians to discover the canon that remains relevant, beloved, and in unwavering use in church, school, and community choirs. Resource guides for each piece, written by researchers and practicing musicians from faith communities, survey the work s history, offer conducting insights and detailed analysis, and give performance nuance and insight.