Autumn 2023
1. Puccini & Poulenc
We have a great opportunity this semester to sing two great works with our local, award-winning symphony orchestra.
Here you can find some details of the rehearsals, and how we prepare for the concert in the Albert Halls on Sunday, 3rd December.
2. Advent Carols

On Sunday 10th December, we are singing in an Advent Carol Service at Holy Trinity Church in Stirling.
Unfortunately, the Passau students have had to postpone their visit to Scotland.
We hope to sing with them another time.
Rehearsal schedule

Date | Girolamo Puccini: Messa di Gloria | François Poulenc: Gloria | Carols and other songs |
---|---|---|---|
18 September | A mix of songs and introduction to the repertoire * | ||
25 September | Gloria: Quoniam tu solus (p.31) Cum sancto spiritu (p.33) Credo: Credo in unum deum (p.49) Agnus Dei (p.77) | Domine fili unigenite (p. 27) | carols |
2 October | Gloria: Gloria, gloria in excelsis (p.8) Quoniam tu solus (p.31) Sanctus & Benedictus (p.73) Credo: Credo in unum deum (p.49) Et vitam (p.69) | Laudamus te (p. 10) Qui sedes ad dexteram patris (p.44) | carols |
9 October | Credo: Et incarnatus est (p.55) Et in spiritum sanctum (p.63) Et vitam (p.69) | Gloria (p. 1) Domine Deus (p. 21) | JS Bach: chorale ‘Wachet auf’ |
16 October | Kyrie Gloria: Et in terra pax (p.11) | Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (p. 34) | carols |
23 October (Reading Week) | |||
30 October | The complete work | ||
6 November | The complete work | ||
13 November | What needs addressing | What needs addressing | |
Thursday, 16 November at Wallace High School | Stephen’s choice | Stephen’s choice | |
20 November | What needs addressing | What needs addressing | |
Thursday, 23 November at Wallace High School | Stephen’s choice | Stephen’s choice | |
27 November | What needs addressing | What needs addressing | |
Thursday, 30 November at Wallace High School (following carols in the Holy Rude) | Stephen’s choice | Stephen’s choice | |
3 December | Concert with Stirling Orchestra (Albert Halls) | ||
4 December | |||
5 January | Epiphany Carol Service (Holy Trinity) |
* At the first rehearsal, we sang some favourites, including the Choral Medley from ‘The Lion King’ (Elton John)
Homework for rehearsals
Specific homework to come
- Listen to the music as much as you can in the first few weeks of the semester.
- Get to know it so well that you can enjoy the rehearsals and, ultimately, the concert, aware that you’re part of something bigger than just your voice part.
Music downloads
Underlined items are links to scores (in the public domain) that you can download
other choral scores will be provided at rehearsalsYou can listen to online recordings
You can use MIDI files to help you learn your part.
Although these sound fairly ghastly, you may find them useful!
Poulenc: Gloria
MIDI files: you can listen to each part and adjust the speed
online recordings
Puccini: Messa di Gloria
MIDI files: you can listen to each part and adjust the speed
online recordings
Possibilities for Carols
- Music PDFs: available for all carols
- Audio: there are links for some recordings:
click on the word representing your voice part,
e.g. “Soprano”, “Tenor” etc. (“SATB” has all the parts played together)
- Cradle song PDF
audio: SATB | Soprano | Alto | Tenor | Bass
video: piano accompanimentHark! the herald angels sing PDF
audio: SATB | Alto | Tenor | Bass | Descant | Descant (with accompaniment)
– 100 Carols for Choirs, 107 – SATB & descant - O come, all ye faithful (verses 1 2 3 6) PDF
audio: SATB | Alto | Tenor | Bass | Decant | Descant (with accompaniment)
video: organ accompaniment
– 100 Carols for Choirs, 226 – SATB & descant - O little town of Bethlehem PDF
audio: SATB | Alto | Tenor | Bass | Descant | Descant (with accompaniment)
video: organ accompaniment
– 100 Carols for Choirs, 234 – SATB & descant - Personent hodie PDF
audio: Unison
– 100 Carols for Choirs, 266 – U - O come, O come Emmanuel PDF
– The Art of Music – U - Quem pastores laudavere PDF
audio: Alto | Tenor | Bass
SATB - Soft the evening shadows fall PDF
– RSCM: The Carol Book – SATB - Come, all ye shepherds PDF
– NOBC 586 – SATB - Gaudete! PDF (new version with verses in two voices)
verses only (new version)
– AW, ex NOBC 158 – SATB
YouTube videos
Currently, these only have accompaniments
(with piano accompaniment)
with organ accompaniment
(with organ accompaniment)