Hope, Peace, Joy: A Trilogy I. The Heartbeat of Hope II. The Breath of Peace III. The Dance of Joy by Mark Burrows Choir - Sheet Music

SKU: CF.BL1222

UPC: 672405010740. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: F major,d minor,bb mixolydian. English. Original.

Hope, Peace, Joy: A Trilogy is a set of three pieces each based on a state of being crucial to the human experience. Each movement is built on a round, or round-like material, and incorporates a primary gesture to deepen the expression of each state: Hope - a steady heartbeat rhythm Peace - breath Joy - dance-like stomping, clapping, and patting Each movement was intentionally written to connect with the others but also to provide as much contrast and variety as possible. Movement 1 - minor key (mostly minor pentatonic), moderate tempo, 4/4 time, medium volume, Soprano 1 taking the lead. Movement 2 - major key, slower tempo, 3/4 time, softer volume, Alto taking the lead Movement 3 - mixolydian mode, up tempo, 6/8 time, forte, Soprano II taking the lead. Both the first and last movements include body percussion. The more involved body percussion is performed when the voices are tacet so that singers won't have to divide their attention. (There are many people perfectly capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. This humble composer is not one of them.) Here are a few body percussion thoughts: Make sure the enthusiasm of your playing doesn't harm the instrument - you. Music isn't supposed to hurt. Take care that the body percussion never overpowers the voices. Stomps - How light or strong depends on where you're standing. If you're on choral risers, a lighter touch is best. If you're standing on the floor, especially a carpeted surface, lean into the stomps a little more. Pats - Chest pats are indicated wherever a deeper sound is preferable. Otherwise pat the sides or tops of the thighs. Claps - You can get many different tone colors depending on how much you cup your hands. I. The Heartbeat of Hope Hope is more than a dream or a wish. Hope is the belief that something can happen and the confident expectation that it will. The primary gesture for this movement is the steady heartbeat rhythm, which is played whenever a part is actively singing. If the heartbeat rhythm still feels too complicated to play while singing, simply play on beats 1 and 2, or even just on the downbeat of each measure. Parts playing the more intricate body percussion should always be sure to not overpower the voices. At mm. 33-40 we finally hear all three interlocking body percussion rhythms. Notice that this too is a round with each part playing the same rhythm one beat apart. A way to make sure this section stays in alignment is to remember that Part I stomps on beat 1, Part II stomps on beat 2, Part III stomps on beat 3. II. The Breath of Peace Peace is more than just the absence of war and conflict. Peace is a sense of wholeness that comes when we find ways to live in harmony and tranquility with others and within ourselves. The primary gesture for this movement is the breath. This movement is a kind of musical blessing that seeks to encourage peace in the words we say, the songs we sing, the very air we breathe. Starting at m. 34 "(hhah)" indicates the sound of a whispered breath, just audible to the listener. And every occurrence of the unpitched "Peace" should be spoken softly, voiced rather than whispered. III. The Dance of Joy Joy is more than surface happiness. Joy is an inner sense of fulfillment that comes from living a life of meaning and purpose. Joy has the ability to radiate from within even when things outside our control feel overwhelming. Happiness is when your face is smiling. Joy is when your heart is smiling. The primary gesture for this movement is the dance-like interplay of layered body percussion. Unlike the first two movements, The Dance of Joy is more vertical and homophonic. At mm. 21 the body percussion starts to weave in with the singing. As in The Heartbeat of Hope, make sure the body percussion does not overpower the voices. The one section that incorporates round-like material is at mm. 37-44. Each part plays the same six-measure rhythm but starting at a different point in the rhythm. The effect is more of a "rhythm exchange" with two-measure patterns bouncing from part to part.
Hope, Peace, Joy: A Trilogy is a set of three pieces each based on a state of being crucial to the human experience. Each movement is built on a round, or round-like material, and incorporates a primary gesture to deepen the expression of each state:Hope – a steady heartbeat rhythmPeace – breathJoy – dance-like stomping, clapping, and pattingEach movement was intentionally written to connect with the others but also to provide as much contrast and variety as possible.Movement 1 - minor key (mostly minor pentatonic), moderate tempo, 4/4 time, medium volume, Soprano 1 taking the lead.Movement 2 - major key, slower tempo, 3/4 time, softer volume, Alto taking the leadMovement 3 - mixolydian mode, up tempo, 6/8 time, forte, Soprano II taking the lead.Both the first and last movements include body percussion. The more involved body percussion is performed when the voices are tacet so that singers won’t have to divide their attention. (There are many people perfectly capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. This humble composer is not one of them.) Here are a few body percussion thoughts: Make sure the enthusiasm of your playing doesn’t harm the instrument – you. Music isn’t supposed to hurt. Take care that the body percussion never overpowers the voices. Stomps – How light or strong depends on where you’re standing. If you’re on choral risers, a lighter touch is best. If you’re standing on the floor, especially a carpeted surface, lean into the stomps a little more. Pats – Chest pats are indicated wherever a deeper sound is preferable. Otherwise pat the sides or tops of the thighs. Claps – You can get many different tone colors depending on how much you cup your hands.I. The Heartbeat of HopeHope is more than a dream or a wish. Hope is the belief that something can happen and the confident expectation that it will. The primary gesture for this movement is the steady heartbeat rhythm, which is played whenever a part is actively singing.  If the heartbeat rhythm still feels too complicated to play while singing, simply play on beats 1 and 2, or even just on the downbeat of each measure. Parts playing the more intricate body percussion should always be sure to not overpower the voices.At mm. 33-40 we finally hear all three interlocking body percussion rhythms. Notice that this too is a round with each part playing the same rhythm one beat apart. A way to make sure this section stays in alignment is to remember that Part I stomps on beat 1, Part II stomps on beat 2, Part III stomps on beat 3.II. The Breath of PeacePeace is more than just the absence of war and conflict. Peace is a sense of wholeness that comes when we find ways to live in harmony and tranquility with others and within ourselves. The primary gesture for this movement is the breath. This movement is a kind of musical blessing that seeks to encourage peace in the words we say, the songs we sing, the very air we breathe.Starting at m. 34 “(hhah)” indicates the sound of a whispered breath, just audible to the listener. And every occurrence of the unpitched “Peace” should be spoken softly, voiced rather than whispered.III. The Dance of JoyJoy is more than surface happiness. Joy is an inner sense of fulfillment that comes from living a life of meaning and purpose. Joy has the ability to radiate from within even when things outside our control feel overwhelming. Happiness is when your face is smiling. Joy is when your heart is smiling. The primary gesture for this movement is the dance-like interplay of layered body percussion.Unlike the first two movements, The Dance of Joy is more vertical and homophonic. At mm. 21 the body percussion starts to weave in with the singing. As in The Heartbeat of Hope, make sure the body percussion does not overpower the voices. The one section that incorporates round-like material is at mm. 37-44. Each part plays the same six-measure rhythm but starting at a different point in the rhythm. The effect is more of a “rhythm exchange” with two-measure patterns bouncing from part to part.
Hope, Peace, Joy: A Trilogy is a set of three pieces each based on a state of being crucial to the human experience. Each movement is built on a round, or round-like material, and incorporates a primary gesture to deepen the expression of each state:Hope – a steady heartbeat rhythmPeace – breathJoy – dance-like stomping, clapping, and pattingEach movement was intentionallyxa0written to connect with the others but also to provide as much contrast and variety as possible.Movement 1 - minor key (mostly minor pentatonic), moderate tempo, 4/4 time, medium volume, Soprano 1 taking the lead.Movement 2 - major key, slower tempo, 3/4 time, softer volume, Alto taking the leadMovement 3 - mixolydian mode, up tempo, 6/8 time, forte, Soprano II taking the lead.Both the first and last movements include body percussion. The more involved body percussion is performed when the voices are tacet so that singers won’t have to divide their attention. (There are many people perfectly capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. This humble composer is not one of them.) Here are a few body percussion thoughts:Make sure the enthusiasm of your playing doesn’t harm the instrument – you. Music isn’t supposed to hurt.Take care that the body percussion never overpowers the voices.Stomps – How light or strong depends on where you’re standing. If you’re on choral risers, a lighter touch is best. If you’re standing on the floor, especially a carpeted surface, lean into the stomps a little more.Pats – Chest pats are indicated wherever a deeper sound is preferable. Otherwise pat the sides or tops of the thighs.Claps – You can get many different tone colors depending on how much you cup your hands.I. The Heartbeat of HopeHope is more than a dream or a wish. Hope is the belief that something can happen and the confident expectation that it will. The primary gesture for this movement is the steady heartbeat rhythm, which is played whenever a part is actively singing. xa0If the heartbeat rhythm still feels too complicated to play while singing, simply play on beats 1 and 2, or even just on the downbeat of each measure. Parts playing the more intricate body percussion should always be sure to not overpower the voices.At mm. 33-40 we finally hear all three interlocking body percussion rhythms. Notice that this too is a round with each part playing the same rhythm one beat apart. A way to make sure this section stays in alignment is to remember that Part I stomps on beat 1, Part II stomps on beat 2, Part III stomps on beat 3.II. The Breath of PeacePeace is more than just the absence of war and conflict. Peace is a sense of wholeness that comes when we find ways to live in harmony and tranquility with others and within ourselves. The primary gesture for this movement is the breath. This movement is a kind of musical blessing that seeks to encourage peace in the words we say, the songs we sing, the very air we breathe.Starting at m. 34 “(hhah)” indicates the sound of a whispered breath, just audible to the listener. And every occurrence of the unpitched “Peace” should be spoken softly, voiced rather than whispered.III. The Dance of JoyJoy is more than surface happiness. Joy is an inner sense of fulfillment that comes from living a life of meaning and purpose. Joy has the ability to radiate from within even when things outside our control feel overwhelming. Happiness is when your face is smiling. Joy is when your heart is smiling. The primary gesture for this movement is the dance-like interplay of layered body percussion.Unlike the first two movements, The Dance of Joy is more vertical and homophonic. At mm. 21 the body percussion starts to weave in with the singing. As in The Heartbeat of Hope, make sure the body percussion does not overpower the voices. The one section that incorporates round-like material is at mm. 37-44. Each part plays the same six-measure rhythm but starting at a different point in the rhythm. The effect is more of a “rhythm exchange” with two-measure patterns bouncing from part to part.