The Oxford Book of Descants is a definitive collection of 102 descants to well-known hymns, carols, and worship songs. It features descants by a wide range of composers, including contemporary names such as David Willcocks, John Rutter, Malcolm Archer, and Paul Leddington Wright, as well as celebrated twentieth-century church composers such as Alan Gray, Edward Bairstow, Sydney Nicholson, and John Wilson. Published in both full music and melody editions, this is a fully practical collection, with selected descants presented in different keys and with alternative words to match most popular hymnals. The full music edition provides an organ part for each descant while the melody edition contains the descants alone, without their accompanying tunes. With a superb range of descants, ably written and sympathetic to the style and harmony of the original tune, this is an excellent resource that will be welcomed by all choirs and church musicians and will enhance hymn singing at church services.
The Oxford Book of Descants is a definitive collection of 102 descants to well-known hymns, carols, and worship songs. It features descants by a wide range of composers, including contemporary names such as David Willcocks, John Rutter, Malcolm Archer, and Paul Leddington Wright, as well as celebrated twentieth-century church composers such as Alan Gray, Edward Bairstow, Sydney Nicholson, and John Wilson. Published in both full music and melody editions, this is a fully practical collection, with selected descants presented in different keys and with alternative words to match most popular hymnals. The full music edition provides an organ part for each descant while the melody edition contains the descants alone, without their accompanying tunes. With a superb range of descants, ably written and sympathetic to the style and harmony of the original tune, this is an excellent resource that will be welcomed by all choirs and church musicians and will enhance hymn singing at church services.
ABBOT'S LEIGH (in C and D) ; ABERYSTWYTH ; ABRIDGE (in D and C) ; ADESTE, FIDELES ; ALLELUIA No. 1 ; ANGEL VOICES (in D and C) ; ANGELS' SONG ; ANIMA CHRISTI (in F and G) ; AURELIA ; AUS DER TIEFE ; AUSTRIA (in E flat and F) ; BEAUTY FOR BROKENNESS ; BETHLEHEM (in F and G) ; BLAENWERN (in G and F) ; CARLISLE (in E flat and D) ; COE FEN ; CORVEDALE ; CRIMOND ; CROSS OF JESUS (in G and F) ; CRUCIFER (in D and C) ; CWM RHONDDA ; DARWALL'S 148th (in D and C) ; DEUS TUORUM MILITUM (in C and B flat) ; DIX (in A flat and G) ; DOMINUS REGIT ME (in G and F) ; DOWN AMPNEY ; DUKE STREET ; EASTER HYMN ; EISENACH ; ENGLEBERG (in F and G) ; EVENTIDE ; FAITHFUL ONE ; FAITHFULNESS (in E flat and D) ; FATHER, WE ADORE YOU ; FATHER, WE LOVE YOU ; FOREST GREEN ; GERONTIUS (in A flat and G) ; GOD OF THE POOR ; GOD REST YOU MERRY ; GUITING POWER ; HANOVER ; HEINLEIN ; HELMSLEY ; HIGHWOOD ; HOLY IS THE LORD (in A and G) ; HYFRYDOL ; IN CHRIST ALONE (in D and E flat) ; IRBY (in F and G) ; JESUS IS LORD (in G and A flat) ; LASST UNS ERFREUEN (in D and E flat) ; LAUDES DOMINI (in C and B flat) ; LAUDS ; LAUS DEO ; LOBE DEN HERREN (in F and G) ; LORD OF THE YEARS ; LUCKINGTON ; LUX EOI ; MACCABAEUS (in E flat and D) ; MELCOMBE (in E flat and D) ; MELITA ; MENDELSSOHN (in F and G) ; MERTON (in F and E) ; MILES LANE ; MONKLAND ; MONKS GATE ; MORNING HYMN ; MOSCOW ; NEANDER ; NICAEA ; NOEL ; NUN DANKET (in F and E flat) ; ORIEL ; PRAISE, MY SOUL ; PRAXIS PIETATIS (in F and G) ; PUER NOBIS NASCITUR ; QUAM DILECTA ; REDHEAD No. 46 ; REGENT SQUARE ; REPTON ; RICHMOND (in F and G) ; ROCKINGHAM (in D and E flat) ; SAFFRON WALDEN ; ST ALBINUS (in C and B flat) ; ST ANNE ; ST CLEMENT (in A flat and G) ; ST COLUMBA ; ST DENIO (in A flat and G) ; ST GEORGE'S WINDSOR ; ST HELEN ; ST MAGNUS ; SEEK YE FIRST ; SINE NOMINE ; SING HOSANNA (in E flat and D) ; SLANE ; SLANE ; SONG 34 ; STUTTGART (in G and F) ; THE SERVANT KING ; THORNBURY ; TRURO (in D and C) ; UNSER HERRSCHER ; VENI EMMANUEL (metrical version) ; VENI EMMANUEL (plainchant version) ; WAREHAM (in B flat and A) ; WAS LEBET ; WESTMINSTER ABBEY (in A flat and G) ; WINCHESTER NEW ; WINCHESTER OLD ; WOODLANDS ; WOODLANDS
Julian Elloway studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and subsequently specialized in piano accompaniment with Paul Hamburger. After university he worked in Brighton as a choir conductor and repetiteur, especially with the University of Sussex Choir, New Sussex Opera and Brighton Festival Chorus, and as Director of Music at St Paul's, West Street, Brighton. He then became Music Editor at OUP. He now works as a freelance musician and music editor.
Julian Elloway is to be congratulated on producing this highly
practical selection . . . It should be warmly welcomed by all
choirs and church musicians seeking to enhance hymn singing. I
shall certainly enjoy using them at my church, and heartily
recommend this new collection to all organists and
choirmasters.
A good descant, sung well by a choir or small group of upper
voices, or played by an instrument, can give a wonderful lift to
many kinds of congregational song, as long as the accompanist plays
matching harmonies beneath. A recent publication from OUP, The
Oxford Book of Descants provides complementary melodies and organ
accompaniments to enliven the last verse of a wide variety of
hymns, carols and songs . . . Julian Elloway's introduction
includes some interesting historical background on the practice of
singing descants as well as practical advice. The editorial process
reflected his firm belief that 'descants should be chosen to
enhance the worship of the congregation rather than just to give
the choir some extra fun'.
*Anne Harrison, Praxis News and Worship, Autumn 2012*
The collection is beautifully produced, with clear indexes and an
informative preface by the editor, Julian Elloway . . . OUP is to
be congratulated on producing this definitive and practical
resource which should be in the hands of every director of music
who uses and loves hymns. Singers in schools, churches and choral
societies will find that the descants and arrangements will enhance
their enjoyment and appreciation of Christian song.
*Ian Sharp, Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland*
Descants should 'enhance the meaning of the words and intensify the
sung prayer of the worshipper.' So writes the editor of this
collection in his excellent preface to a significant new collection
of 102 descants for hymns. The quality of printing is superb in
both editions - and the melody edition is particularly clear with a
helpful, good size of print for music and words. . . . This volume
contains some of the best descants bound together under one cover .
. . Many of the descants here are printed both in the original key
and at a lower pitch. This matches settings in different hymn
books, provides a more comfortable range for some singers, and
helps the organist who is reluctant to transpose . . . This is an
excellent collection which should find a significant place among
those choirs which value and enjoy being part of the descant
tradition in hymnody.
*Gordon Appleton, Church Music Quarterly Sunday by Sunday, March
13*
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