Christmas
29 recommended works by women composers for Christmas Lessons and Carols.
Esther Ballou (1915–1973)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Language: English
Esther Ballou taught at Juilliard and American University. She was the first American woman to have a composition premiered at the White House. The archivist of Amer. U., where her papers are housed, has given permission to use this score.
Undine Smith Moore (1904–1989)
Text source: Spiritual
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SSAA/SSAA · Solos: S
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 2:45
Language: English
On Spiritual: "O Mary what are you going to name that pretty baby?"
June Nixon (b. 1942)
Text source: Anonymous, 15th c.
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Language: Old English
Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Words by William Drummond
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: organ
Language: English
Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATBdiv
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 4:00
Language: English
Betty Jackson King (1928–1994)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB · Solos: solo
Accompaniment: a cappella
Language: English
Alice Tegner (1864–1943)
Words by Viktor Rydberg, Mark Safstrom
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: organ
Duration: 5:00
Language: (optional Swedish)/English
arr. Sarah MacDonald
Abbie Betinis (b. 1980)
Words by Michael Dennis Browne
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 2:40
Language: English
Carlotta Ferrari (b. 1975)
Words by Mary Macdonald, from Christmas Day Antiphon
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 5:15
Language: English, Latin
Abbie Betinis (b. 1980)
Text source: Anonymous
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 4:42
Language: Latin
Jaebon Hwang (b. 1982)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: organ
Duration: 4:45
Language: English
soon to be released as of July 2022
Margaret Vardell Sandresky (b. 1921)
Words by J. S. Cook
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 3:00
Language: English
Words and music by Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB · Solos: S
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 2:45
Language: English
Kathleen Allan (b. 1989)
Text source: Anonymous
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATBdiv
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 4:00
Language: English
Judith Weir (b. 1954)
Text source: 15th-century English; Isaiah 60:1
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: organ
Duration: 2:45
Language: Medieval Scots
Words and music by Yshani Perinpanayagam (b. 1983)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 2:00
Language: English
Abbie Betinis (b. 1980)
Words by Christina Rossetti
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB · Solos: 2 solos
Accompaniment: harp
Duration: 5:50
Language: English
Arr for SSAA, 2 Soloists and piano
Sally Beamish (b. 1956)
Words by Katrina Shepherd
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 2:00
Language: English
Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Text source: Anonymous, 15th-century English
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 3:54
Language: English, Latin
Tawnie Olson (b. 1974)
Words by St. Gregory Nazianzen
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATBdiv
Accompaniment: viola
Duration: 2:06
Language: English
Words by Hildegard von Bingen
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SSA
Accompaniment: clarinet
Duration: 4:30
Language: Latin
Eleanor Daley (b. 1955)
Words by George Ratcliffe Woodward
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Duration: 3:20
Language: English
Amy Beach (1867–1944)
Words by Edmund Sears, from It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB · Solos: S
Accompaniment: organ
Duration: 9:37
Language: English
Arr for orchestra. by Benjamin Bachmann
Elaine Hagenberg (b. 1979)
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATBdiv
Accompaniment: piano
Language: English
June Nixon (b. 1942)
Text source: Trad. carol
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: organ
Duration: 2:17
Language: English
June Nixon (b. 1942)
Text source: English Carol
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB or SSA
Accompaniment: Organ
Duration: 4:00
Language: English
Orchestration available for hire from publisher
Sarah Quartel (b. 1982)
Text source: 15th c English carol
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: handbells
Duration: 2:30
Language: Old English
Alice Parker (b. 1925)
Text source: Wexford Carol, Cloverdale's Carol, Irish Carol
Anthem · Young Trebles
Voicing: SA
Accompaniment: piano or harp
Language: English
Also see Parker-Shaw Book of 24 Christmas Carols
Anthem · Choir
Voicing: SAATB
Accompaniment: a cappella
Language: English