This innovative survey of large choral-orchestral works is a
continuation of the author's previous study of twentieth century works
with English texts. Green examines nearly one hundred works, from
Rachmaninov's Vesna to Penderecki's Song of Songs. For each work, he
provides a biography of the composer, complete instrumentation, text
sources, editions, availability of performing materials, performance
issues, discography, and bibliography of the composer and the work.
Based upon direct score study, each work has been evaluated in terms of
potential performance problems, rehearsal issues, and level of
difficulty for both the choir and orchestra. When present, solo roles
are described. The composers represented in this work include Bela
Bartok, Leonard Bernstein, Ernest Bloch, Maurice Durufé, Hans Werner
Henze, Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Leos Janacek, György Ligeti,
Gustav Mahler, Carl Orff, Krzysztof Penderecki, Francis Poulenc, Igor
Stravinsky, Anton Webern, and Kurt Weill. Written as a field guide for
conductors and others involved in programming concerts for choir and
orchestra, this text will prove a useful source of new repertoire ideas
and an invaluable aid to rehearsal preparation.