An SATB arrangement of Victor Hugo's remarkable poem "La coccinelle" -- the narrator looks back on a moment in time when, as a teenager, he was preparing to kiss a girl. Unfortunately, a ladybug lands on her neck, however, which distracts him. He then rem...  moreAn SATB arrangement of Victor Hugo's remarkable poem "La coccinelle" -- the narrator looks back on a moment in time when, as a teenager, he was preparing to kiss a girl. Unfortunately, a ladybug lands on her neck, however, which distracts him. He then removes the ladybug, but sadly the kiss flies off forever! If you enjoy this musical trip down memory lane, then I invite you to consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada or an Alzheimer's support group in the area where you live. Thank you! https://alzheimer.ca/ Sincere thanks to Matthew Curtis (choraltracks.com) for recording "La coccinelle", which is dedicated to Emma. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the score can contact me at rain@magma.ca. I would like to acknowledge the a cappella choir that I sing in, The Stairwell Carollers, and our director Pierre Massie, for their musical inspiration these past 26 years. And with deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their inval...    less

Dedicated to my dear cousins Gigi and Raven. Since first singing the medieval song "All and Some" in the mid 1990s, I fell in love with the Middle English and Latin lyrics, and one day I got inspired to create my own setting of this poetic gem. NB: ...  moreDedicated to my dear cousins Gigi and Raven. Since first singing the medieval song "All and Some" in the mid 1990s, I fell in love with the Middle English and Latin lyrics, and one day I got inspired to create my own setting of this poetic gem. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the score can contact The Leading Note at info@leadingnote.com. I would like to acknowledge the a cappella choir that I sing in, The Stairwell Carollers, and our director Pierre Massie, for their musical inspiration these past 25 years. And with deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their invaluable support throughout my composing journey.  less

"There Will Come Soft Rain" by Jonathan Adams for SSAATTBB Chorus. Performed by Matthew Curtis.

http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Scott_Villard From Three Sacred Love Songs for SATB (2012)

Famine Song, arr. Matthew Culloton, from the concert "Light Out of Shadow," June 2010 at Mission Santa Clara de Asis. Performed by The Choral Project.

With the Night (3 Canadian Nocturnes, movement II) text: Archibald Lampman music: Nathaniel Barnes singer: Matthew Curtis O doubts, dull Passions, and base fears, That harassed and oppressed the day, Ye poor remorses and vain tears, That shook ...  moreWith the Night (3 Canadian Nocturnes, movement II) text: Archibald Lampman music: Nathaniel Barnes singer: Matthew Curtis O doubts, dull Passions, and base fears, That harassed and oppressed the day, Ye poor remorses and vain tears, That shook this house of clay: All heaven to the western bars Is glittering with the darker dawn; Here with the earth, the night, the stars, Ye have no place: begone! http://www.choirplace.com/profile/Nathaniel Matthew Curtis https://choraltracks.com/  

Psalm 70 (Revised Standard Version, with doxology) Musical setting for mixed choir (SAATB) by David W Solomons All parts performed by Matthew Curtis - www.choraltracks.com

"Da pacem Domine" is dedicated to two of my dear relatives named James. I felt the inspiration to start this piece in the weeks leading up to the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, in which my dear grandfather Jimmy Rain (1895-1974) had serv...  more"Da pacem Domine" is dedicated to two of my dear relatives named James. I felt the inspiration to start this piece in the weeks leading up to the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, in which my dear grandfather Jimmy Rain (1895-1974) had served in the Canadian forces, in one of the most dangerous roles, as a runner in northwestern France. This song honours his memory and the love that he showed me as a boy and a young man growing up. Shortly after starting this piece, I then learned that my dear cousin Jamie Shaw (1959-2019) was gravely ill and with his permission, I have dedicated this piece to him as well. Jamie's courage, good spirit and humour throughout his illness was an inspiration to all of us who knew him. "Da pacem Domine" is a musical search for peace: both external peace, between individuals, groups, societies, nations; and internal peace, to find a restful spot within the soul, amidst the serious tensions and conflicts seemingly inherent in the human stream of existence. It explor...    less

"Let's sing, it's Spring!" is dedicated to my uncle and aunt, James and Daphne Shaw, and their amazing clan, the "Bowen Island Shaws." I have given this song the sub-title: "A Crazy Choral Etude for Rolled Rs and Perfect 5ths." It is meant, no pun inte...  more"Let's sing, it's Spring!" is dedicated to my uncle and aunt, James and Daphne Shaw, and their amazing clan, the "Bowen Island Shaws." I have given this song the sub-title: "A Crazy Choral Etude for Rolled Rs and Perfect 5ths." It is meant, no pun intended, to be a musical lark, great fun for a choir to sing, rolling Rs like crazy, with no holding back. NB: One day I woke up to the realization that I had independently written four choral works, each of which had evoked a different season, and so it seemed natural to group them together into a choral suite that I have called "The Ottawa Four Seasons Suite." "Let's sing, it's Spring!", with its rousing coda section, works perfectly as the closing number of this suite. Also of note, in early 2018, I applied to be a participant at one of the Vancouver Chamber Choir's Interplay workshops funded by the SOCAN Foundation and to my delight I was accepted. "Let's sing, it's Spring!" was one of the pieces that this amazing choir sight read for me on the sp...    less

This brand new version of Good King Wenceslas is dedicated to my uncle Duncan Shaw of Vancouver. His "retirement project" - developing his own theory of gravity - has been a huge inspiration in my own compositional journey late in life. Some background...  moreThis brand new version of Good King Wenceslas is dedicated to my uncle Duncan Shaw of Vancouver. His "retirement project" - developing his own theory of gravity - has been a huge inspiration in my own compositional journey late in life. Some background: I have sung the traditional version of Good King Wenceslas since I was a kid. I fell in love with the lyrics and the story, but have always been puzzled by the way it was arranged, in particular the way that the "las" of Wenceslas lands on the downbeat. When I was young, I thought the lyrics were actually "Good King Wences last looked out!" All to say that I got inspired to create a totally different version. I used the 19th century poem by John Mason Neale, but I wanted to create a different "feel" to the story, to take it back in time to its origins in the Middle Ages - hence the medieval feel to much of the piece. I also felt that since the Wenceslas story is all about a journey, a setting in 3/4 time would create a better sense of that feeling, ra...    less