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GOSPEL & SPIRITUALS
Forward
Music and Lyrics written by Bryon Black II
SATB and piano with solo
This gospel piece can be performed by a chorus or a church worship team, with either piano or the addition of a band (acoustic guitar, bass and drums). It was premiered by the Kent State University Gospel Choir in 2021. I hope this song will encourage the listener that even in seasons of heavy change, we can still move FORWARD into promise, new hope, and opportunity.
**Contact Bryon Black II for perusals of the chord chart and bass guitar scores.
Costs:
$3.50/SATB and piano score
$2.00/lead sheet score
$2.00/bass guitar score
$2.00/chord chart
$10.00/SATB Audio Practice Tracks
Hold On Just a Little While Longer
Traditional Spiritual, arranged by Bryon Black II
Additional Text by Benjamin Isaiah Black
SATB div. with Alto solo
The melody of this song would likely have been heard as a “field holler” during black enslavement, with a single voice crying out a simple, repeated text that speaks for itself very clearly. The chorus builds a foundation towards the cornerstone of the message, supporting a soloist or treble voices who would deliver the melody in a way that harkens back to how it would have been sung several years ago. The core message of this piece and the added text all work together to deliver a hopeful message that rings true today through life’s trials we all face – we often need to be reminded to just ‘hold on…just a little while longer. Everything will be all right.’
Cost: $3.50/score
Voice Practice Tracks: $10.00
Steal Away
Traditional Spiritual, arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB div. with piano, or TBB with piano
Using the piano part to move in a gently rocking 12/8-time signature, I leaned more into the gentle solace that this piece provides in its’ words. There’s a comfort that the words provide every time you hear “steal away, steal away to Jesus…steal away home, I ain’t got long to stay here.” There’s a comfortable acceptance of the peace we receive in our belief that the troubles of this world will be nothing compared to what we are stealing away home to in the next life…most importantly, we don’t have long to stay here.
Cost: $3.00/score
Voice Practice Tracks: $10.00
Walk Together Children
Traditional Spiritual, arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB div.
One of my goals for this arrangement was to tie together both choral ideas that I was influenced by, and the feel of how it would have been sung in a mid-20th century black church house with the utmost jubilance. So this arrangement encourages you to stay strong, to persevere, to walk together, pray together, sing together, love together, and even shout together as we go forward in this life. Walk together children, and don’t you get weary! Why? Because there’s a great camp meeting in the promised land!
Cost: $3.00/score
ACCESSIBLE & SACRED CHORALS
Be the Change
Arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB with piano and opt. percussion (improvised)
I was commissioned to arrange Marc Kaplan’s & Colin Britt’s piece from the Justice Choir Songbook for the Kent State University’s School of Music, reflecting on the tragic KSU shootings on May 4, 1970. It was performed by their combined KSU Choirs, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and African Ensemble. I arranged the choral score to be very flexible for performance. You may replace some of the instrumental cues with assorted improvised percussion (djembe, shakers, tambourine, etc.), other pitched instruments, or even allow the pianist to improvise. Part of my inspiration was the collaborative performance on YouTube by music teacher Colleen Thompson, featuring a vamp with her own vocal solos and her colleagues playing various instruments.
Cost: $3.50/score
(Choral/Orchestral score available per inquiry for $10.00)
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB div. with Soloist
This a cappella hymn arrangement is good for a choir with relatively good sustained intonation. The voice writing is simple, supporting the soloist as a gentle vocal accompaniment.
Cost: $3.00/score
Lamb of God
Arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB with piano
A fine anthem for a church choir or any ensemble looking for an accessible but unique arrangement of Twila Paris’ famous hymn tune.
Cost: $3.00/score
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Arranged by Bryon Black II
SA(T)B a cappella
I arranged this hymn for my church choir in the midst of the challenging 2020-2021 “socially distant/masked choir” season. This is a good Easter Sunday hymn arrangement for modest choirs which may or may not have enough tenors and basses. While a cappella, the lyricism is accessible while being just interesting enough to keep the singer and listener engaged.
Cost: $2.50/score
ORIGINAL & ADVANCED CHORALS
Magnificasti me mirabilia
Composed by Bryon Black II
SATB div. with Soprano solo
The text of this piece comes from Psalm 139:14 – “I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Using intertwining vocal lines, and a recitative-style soprano solo, this composition reminds the listener that we were created and made unique, beautiful and wonderful.
Cost: $3.00/score
And let us not be weary
Composed by Bryon Black II
SATB div.
The Biblical text of Galatians 6:9 reads “And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season, we shall reap a harvest of blessing.” I love this encouragement for all to not give up in challenging times. These words inspired me to compose music that would draw out both the comforting aspect of this verse, and the idea of experiencing plentiful blessings. The piece opens gently, and gradually develops into several vocal lines to paint a wider texture of the “harvest of blessing.”
Cost: $3.50/score
Voice Practice Tracks: $10.00
Psalm 42
Composed by Bryon Black II
SATB div. with SATB soli
This haunting composition re-imagines King David’s psalm of worship using bell-tone entrances, gentle 6/8 movement and a solo quartet to set a heavenly atmosphere.
Cost: $4.00/score
Brotherhood
Composed by Bryon Black II
TTBB with piano
This composition was written for – and premiered by – the Kent State University Men’s Chorus in 2017. The texts chosen for this composition, simply put, reflect on the unity, faith, and brotherhood of mankind. It is meant to not only exemplify the “we are brothers united in song” pieces often heard from a men’s chorus; but to also capture how wonderful it would if all people would live together in harmony.
Cost: $3.00/score
Voice Practice Tracks: $10.00
CHRISTMAS
On Christmas Night – a Christmas Cantata
Arranged by Bryon Black II
SATB with piano; available with orchestra
Seven arrangements of traditional Christmas carols and hymns, written to be performed for church chorus with piano or orchestra. Below are perusals from 5 of the SATB/piano scores – they may be performed individually as a set.
**Contact Bryon Black II for perusals of the orchestral scores and remaining 2 cantata arrangements.
Costs:
$3.00/individual choral score
$4.00/orchestral score (per inquiry)
$18.00/Full cantata score
$5.00/Voice Practice Tracks per score
$15.00/Voice Practice Tracks for a group of four scores
$25.00/Voice Practice Tracks for full cantata
#1. On Christmas Night
Features chorus and full orchestra.
#2. O Holy Night
Features chorus, piano, flute and Bb clarinet. Special feature for Piano, which quotes Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune along with the winds.
#3. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Features chorus, strings and hand drum.
#4. The First Noel**
Features chorus, piano, strings and winds. Special feature for flute. Available upon request only.
#5. O Come All Ye Faithful**
Features chorus and brass.
#6. Silent Night
Features chorus, Soprano solo and descant, piano, winds and strings.
#7. Joy to the World**
Features chorus and full orchestra. Available upon request only.
Bryon Black II 