Star In the East
$10.00
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How many singers are singing or studying this score? Our business relies on the purchase of one original score per voicing and a licensed copy for each singer—as well as the purchase of additional licenses in the future when more copies are made. (For example: For a 30-voice choir, you would buy a license to make 30 copies.) You may also discover from Dalglish recordings that we encourage creative and fresh performance ideas. Go for it!
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A Suite of Three Appalachian Christmas Carols
Commissioned by the St. Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong, Director
The opening improvisational dulcimer solo of “Star in the East” provides a great opportunity for the player to reach back to the dulcimer’s place of origin over 4000 years ago in the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean and play in a style still practiced by the Persian santur players of that region. The santur is the original hammered instrument of the zither family from which the hammer dulcimer was derived. When played as intended this improvisation will have a middle eastern sound with rapid tremolos that slow down and then resolve into arpegiated chord clusters. The soprano soloist should sing with the clear non-vibrato of an Appalachian singer or an Irish or Scottish balladeer. The solo should create a sense of grandeur and each line should close with a flourish from the hammer dulcimer.
“Rise Up Shepherd” begins with a long slowly changing chord on the word “laid.” Here the piece shifts into a slightly faster groove, and the subsequent staggered choir entrances should be in strict tempo. Once this second song gets going the choir should move to the beat. Basses, note you have a delayed entrance on “There’s a star” and then an accelerated entrance: “on Christmas morn.” The word “Bethlehem” is given a 3/2 measure to add emphasis to the dissonant chord at that point.
The a cappella closing song of the suite “Judah’s Land” begins with a solo. Just as the first solo of the suite creates a sense of vastness, this solo should strive toward intimacy. Although this song has a more flexible tempo, care should be taken with the counterpoint of the last two verses, so the entrances and voice movement are precise.
The last song can be performed without the other two. When a hammer dulcimer player is unavailable for the first two songs, piano, harp, or marimba are good substitutes. Players should take liberties with the part rather than attempt an awkward imitation of mallet work unique to the dulcimer. Some of the accompanied songs could also work very well a cappella.
