M Ryan Taylor

Just released a new work for SATB choir acapella entitled Harvest Hymn. I just wanted to say a couple of things about it that I probably wouldn’t put on the ‘product’ page of my choir site.

First, when you read the lyric, it is hard to believe that I set this text to music originally for my children’s songbook and CD, "Thanksgiving!" Still, its true. Although it is somber and reflective text (by Jeremiah Ingalls) on the catastrophes that will come about when the Earth’s fields (of souls) are gathered in, I don’t think it is too much to handle for kids (I think as I kid I would have enjoyed singing about the rocks fleeing away and the whole world being on fire). As a nation we seem to be shying away from themes of judgement, but that may be one of the subconscious reasons I included it.

On the other hand, I definately have a macabre sense of humor (think Tim Burton) and this text does sort of strike with a grimness that is just not seen much in modern religious culture. Frankly, I couldn’t resist setting it when I read it.

This version is for a ‘grown up’ choir, and maybe it fits better here, with adults, I don’t know. In any case, I still think this text is great and I can’t wait to perform this version at the Phoenix Rising (my choir) Harvest Celebration in November. I’ve incorporated the sound of the scythe cutting the wheat down as a sound effect produced by the choir; I think it is one of my more brilliant, but simply achieved, moves.

The text and a sample score are on the site linked to above if you’d like to take a look.

My choir is preparing Christ Rising Again (a very difficult polyphonic piece) by William Byrd. One of my choir members posted this to the rest of us. I just love this, and agree with it, so I thought I’d share it here.

William Byrd (1543-1623) was the first of the great English composers.  The leading musician of the Elizabethan era, he was a renowned organist and in one of the obituaries that followed his death was described as a “Father of Musicke.”  He also wrote on music, and in the preface to his Psalmes, Sonnets & Songs, published in 1588, he set down these reasons “to perswade every one to learne to sing” :

William Byrd’s Eight Reasons for Singing 

1. It is a knowledge easely taught and quickly learned, where there is a good Master and an apt Scoller.
2. The exercise of singing is delightfull to Nature and good to preserve the health of Man.
3. It doth strengthen all parts of the brest, and doth open the pipes.
4. It is a singular good remedie for stammering in the speech.
5. It is the best meanes to procure a perfect pronunciation, and to make a good Orator.
6. It is the onely way to know where Nature hath bestowed the benefit of a good voyce; which guift is so rare as there is not one among a thousand that hath it; and in many that excellent guift is lost because they want Art to express Nature.
7. There is not any Musicke of Instruments whatsoever comparable to that which is made of the voyces of men, where the voyces are good and the same well sorted and ordered.
8. The better the voyce is, the meter it is to honour and serve God therewith; and the voyce of man is chiefely to be employed to that ende.

Since singing is so good a thing,
I wish all men would learne to sing.

The March of the Three Kings

for British-style Brass Band

I wrote this piece, based on a traditional tune, for the Utah Premiere Brass and Timpanogos Chorale a couple of years back. Here is the recording (I’m singing the baritone solo) of the live concert performance in 2005 :

• Live Performance : TheMarchoftheThreeKings.mp3

Here are the score and parts:

• Score : MarchoftheThreeKingsScore-MRyanTaylor.pdf
• Parts : MarchoftheThreeKingsParts-MRyanTaylor.pdf

The instrumentation for the ensemble follows the standard British Brass Band line-up with the addition of a vocal soloist and chorus. The vocal soloist and chorus add a wonderful dimension, but are completely optional. A break-down of the instrumentation for those interested:

• Soprano Cornet
• Solo Cornet
• Repiano Cornet
• 2nd Cornet
• 3rd Cornet
• Flugle
• Solo Horn
• 1st Horn
• 2nd Horn
• 1st Baritone
• 2nd Baritone
• 1st Trombone
• 2nd Trombone
• Bass Trombone
• Euphonium
• Eb Bass Tuba
• BBb Bass Tuba
• Timpani
• Percussion
• Vocal Soloist and Chorus (Optional)

For the optional vocal parts I created my own version of the lyrics, very loosely based on the original French carol, La Marches des Trois Mages:

• The March of the Three Kings
  by M Ryan Taylor
  
  Dawn breaks forth, arising in the east.
  A mighty host of heroes marches hither.
  Dawn breaks forth, they come from out the east,
  their armor glinting with the rising sun.
  
  A page boy leads with his trumpet bold,
  he sounds a tone and my heart is filled with wonder.
  "What brings this fierce host to Bethlehem?"
  "We seek the Savior of the race of men!"
  
  "Three great kings have led us by that star,
  you see it brightly though the sun has risen!
  Three great kings have led us by that star,
  come join our ranks and see the holy child!"
  
  The host moves on bearing chests of gold.
  I see the kings with a body gaurd of paladins.
  My heart cries out, "You must go with them,
  and find the Savior of the race of men!"
  
  Street by street we pass each rich abode,
  and each new door holds hope and expectation.
  Street by street, and looking to the star,
  we come at last to where the light shines down.
  
  The Son  of God lays upon the hay.
  The Son of God laid within a lowly stable.
  Three kings bow low here in Bethlehem,
  before the Savior of the race of men!