ALLAN BEVAN, COMPOSER

Danny Boy, arr.

4/17/2022

 
Voicing: SSA and piano; SATB and piano; TTBB and piano
Melody: Traditional Irish melody ("Londonderry Air")
Text: Frederick Weatherly (1848-1929)
Published by: Rhythmic Trident Music Publishing
(RTBF-006) (2013)
Retail: The Leading Note ; Long and McQuade;
Notes: The original version of this arrangement (SATB) was composed in 1998 for the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers, Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff, conductor. The SATB setting is also published by Rhythmic Trident (RTBF-005) as is a new version for men's voices (RTBF-007). You may read a 2015 Choral Journal review of the SSA version of the work (under "Read more" below)

O Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling,
From glen to glen and down the mountain side.
The summer's gone and all the roses falling,
Its you, its you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back, when summers in the meadow,
Or when the valleys hushed and white with snow,
It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,
O Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so.

But when ye come and all the flowers are dying,
And I am dead as dead I well may be.
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying.
And kneel and say an 'Ave' there for me.

And I shall hear though soft you tread above me,
For all my grave will warmer sweeter be.
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
Performed by: Concerto Della Donna, Iwan Edwards, conductor, Pamela Reimer, piano

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Frederick Weatherly
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LuAnn Holden, Artistic Director of the Chattanooga Girls Choir and music education faculty member at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee provided the following review printed in the November 2015 edition of The Choral Journal.

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Fairest Lord Jesus, arr.

4/17/2022

 
Voicing: SATB, organ, brass and percussion audience (opt.)
Published by: Canadian Music Centre (2006)
Notes: This arrangement was commissioned by CBC Radio Two for their "Easter Sunrise Celebration", 2001. Although the program is now cancelled, in its time it was a magnificent celebration of Easter music that would emanate each year from a different city in Canada and be broadcast live throughout the country. The first performance of Fairest Lord Jesus took place at Edmonton City Hall, conducted by Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff,  with a 4:30am choral call so the concert could be broadcast live to Newfoundland and other earlier time zones. Fairest Lord Jesus was simulcast on CBC Radio 2 Choral Concert and CBC television that Easter morning April 15, 2001. The arrangement is intended for a massed choir with optional congregation or audience participation. The original scoring was for brass octet, while a smaller version was arranged for the 2007 Easter Sunrise Celebration in Toronto (both versions can be heard to the right). Score and parts for both versions are available thru the CMC (use the link above). The text is the public domain English translation of "Schön­ster Herr Je­su" done by Joseph Seiss in 1873. The melody is the famous Silesian folk song known as "Crusader's Hymn".

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.


Performed by: Massed Chorus, Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff, conductor; Jeremy Spurgeon, organ; brass octet and percussion.
Live Recording, Edmonton City Hall, April 15, 2001.
Performed by: Choirs of King's University College, Edmonton, Dr. Melanie Turgeon, conductor; Joachim Segger, organ; brass quintet and percussion. Recorded on, The Voice of My Prayer (2011).
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Deep River, arr.

4/1/2022

 
Voicing: SA and piano
Text: Traditional Spiritual
Level: Easy
Published by: Colla Voce #20-96570 (Henry Leck's Indianapolis Children's Choir Series - 2004)
Retail: Musical Resources Online Store; J. W. Pepper
Notes: The famous spiritual in a short and straight forward arrangement for two-part voices, including an evocative role for the piano. A good piece for children's and women's choirs, or two-part mixed voices. Composed in 1994. Deep River has been featured at choral reading sessions in the USA, (e.g. the 2014 WA ACDA Summer Institute).

Deep River,
My home is over Jordan.
Deep River, Lord.
I want to cross over into campground.


Oh, don't You want to go,
To the Gospel feast;
That Promised Land,
Where all is peace?

Oh, Deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.



Performed by: Cantare Children's Choir, Catherine Glaser-Climie, conductor

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Performed by: The Cincinnati Boychoir, conducted by Dr. Randall N. Wolfe, recorded on America Sings!

Deep River, arr. Bevan - The Contemporary Choir of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore, Maryland
See the Deep River score, listen to a sample and read more at Colla Voce Music
Deep River arr. Bevan on Choral Tracks

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Parlez-Moi, arr.

2/22/2022

 
Voicing: SSA and piano; SATB and piano
Text and Melody: France Levasseur-Ouimet
Level: Moderately Easy
Published by: Cypress Choral Music  CP 1217;
Retail: ​The Leading Note ; 
Sheet Music Plus; The Leading Note;  Northwest Musical Services; Panamusica;
 Notes: This is easily my most popular choral arrangement! A pleasant melody with a lovely chorus and a thoughtful French text by Dr. Levasseur-Ouimet made it a pleasure to set. There are two arrangements: SSA and SATB. Allan Bevan's arrangement of France Levasseur-Ouimet's "Parlez-Moi", was commissioned by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc in 2010. This famous children's choir has sung the work in France, Spain, and South Korea. The SATB version of the piece (2013) is also published by Cypress Choral Music (CP 1265). (Perhaps there is a TTBB choir out there who would like me to arrange this for them? Send an e-mail!)
France Levasseur-Ouimet is a gifted francophone songwriter who lives in Edmonton. Allan Bevan and Dr. Levasseur-Ouimet have collaborated on many occasions over the past decade. The Canadian Chamber Choir, Julia Davids conductor, featured this work as part of their 2019 tours and recording, "Seasons of Life and Landscape". 

Notes: l'arrangement de Allan Bevan de France Levasseur-Ouimet "Parlez-Moi", a été commandé par
Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc en 2010. Ce chœur d'enfants célèbres a chanté le travail en France, en Espagne et en Corée du Sud. Il ya aussi une version pour choeur SATB (CP 1265). La version SATB a été achevée en 2013.
France Levasseur-Ouimet est un auteur-compositeur francophone de talent qui vit à Edmonton.


"Je cherche un peu partout
Dans l’espoir de trouver
Quelqu’un qui connaît bien la mer et son halein’ salée
Qui pourrait bien me dire

Pour quoi j’ai dans la peau
Le bruit des vagues sur la plage
Le chant liquide et pur de l’eau.

Parlez-moi de la mer
Racontez moi son histoire
Dites-moi, parlez-moi
Pour que je sois marin pour que je sois marin Parlez-moi de la mer."


excerpt from Parlez-Moi by France Levasseur-Ouimet arr. Allan Bevan
© Cypress Choral Music 2012


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Performed by: Chorale Saint-Jean, Catherine Kubash, conductor (SATB)
Performed by: Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc, Nicolas Porte, conductor (SSA)
Performed by: ihana Youth Choir, Lisa Ward, conductor
Marie Stultz of Spectrum Music, in Lexington, MA wrote this about Parlez-Moi in the Winter 2012-13 Choral Room:
Parlez-moi, by France Lavasseur-Ouimet, arr. Allan Bevan, French text, Cypress, CP 1217, SSA & piano. Difficulty rating 3-4. $2.25
Text Source: France Levasseur-Ouimet
Period and Nationality: 21st C. French Canadian
Style: Part-Song
Special Music Characteristics: This charming melody and text by Lavasseur-Ouimet resembles a folk song. Bevan has arranged the melody in two and three parts over a florid piano accompaniment in the key of D Major. A good introduction to French diction, the subtle dynamics will develop the choir's artistry. The piece concludes on a dramatic double forte on a unison d2 that will ring through the room.
Read the complete text and view the score at Cypress Choral Music
Enjoy a performance of Parlez-Moi by Concerto Della Donna at CBC Music

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The Huron Carol, arr.

12/25/2020

 
Voicing: SATB a cappella
Melody: Une jeune pucelle (Trad. French Carol melody)
Text: St. Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1649) Tr. by J. E. Middleton (1872-1960)
Published by: Lorenz CIM 1016 (1997)

Retail: The Leading Note ; Sheet Music Plus; J. W. Pepper; Music 44; Opus Two;
2) Voicing: SSAA a cappella
Contact the composer
Notes: Composed and first performed in 1994, this arrangement is a setting of three verses of the original Canadian Christmas carol, as translated by Jesse Edgar Middleton, a journalist and choral singer who lived in both Toronto and Montreal. Brebeuf's verses were in Algonquian, while Middleton made his translation from an earlier version in French. St. Jean de Brebeuf wrote the carol in 1643 as part of his mission to the Hurons.

'Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled,
That mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the braves drew nigh,
The angel song rang loud and high:

Jesus, your King is born,
Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria.


Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found.
A ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty round;
But as the hunter braves drew nigh,
The angel song rang loud and high:

O children of the forest free, On sons of Manitou,
The holy child is born this day for you.
Come, kneel before the radiant boy,
Who brings you beauty, peace, and joy:


Performed by: Spiritus Chamber Choir, Dr. Timothy Shantz, conductor

Performed by: AccordEnsemble
Performed by: Heruvymy Ukrainian Female Quartet
from: And On Earth Peace

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