AMERICAN MUSIC FOR WOMEN'S CHORUS: AN ANNOTATED REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF LARGER WORKS PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1940 AND 1980.

Abstract

The contributions made by American composers to the repertoire for women's chorus have increased significantly since 1940. This study was undertaken because previous investigations are international in scope and do not give an adequate view of the broad range of American works now available. Criteria established for works to be included in the study were as follows: (1) original compositions by American composers; (2) at least six minutes in duration; (3) available to the public from a publisher, composer, or repository of American works; (4) publication or composition date after 1940 and before 1980. The study includes both secular and sacred works. Qualitative comments were avoided because they were not consistent with the object of the study. Since numerous works are out of print and are almost impossible to obtain, the 91 works annotated in the study represent but a portion of the total output of American composers. Each annotation includes composer name; composer dates (when available); title of composition; date of publication or composition; text source; voicing; ranges of individual parts; level of difficulty; duration; accompaniment medium; and publisher and catalog information. A descriptive paragraph on the work in toto and on each movement or set piece briefly discusses text content, harmonic background, melody, rhythm, tessitura, meter, texture, form, role of accompaniment, and/or other salient features.