Rondo Fanfare

Composed in October 2013 for the Sovereign Brass Union, this 3-minute fanfare is for 10-piece brass ensemble and organ it was premiered in concert at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe on November 3 at the Power and Glory of Brass Concert. The audio below was generated with the Finale music notation program.

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Fanfare on ‘National Hymn’

BNSMQU Michael FaceOn Sunday, September 29, a new statue of St. Michael will be dedicated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Discovering that there would be an additional procession of banners, music director Bill Picher asked if I would make a short fanfare arrangement of the tune “National Hymn’ to provide music for the extra procession. With only a few days to complete the project, I got to work as quick as I could. Until I get a live performance recording, here is the audio file generated by the Finale music notation program.

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Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise

A simple hymn accompaniment arrangement for organ and brass quartet commissioned by Mary Gant in 2014 for St. Paul Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida. The introduction is a full verse of the hymn and the organ part is basically the standard hymn harmonization. Send an email to contact@wmglennosborne.com for information about obtaining score and parts.

Centennial Celebration Gloria

Gloria.Centennial.Unison1 For many years when planning large multilingual diocesan celebrations, I felt Latin would be the best option for the Mass Ordinary. Because these special celebrations often are festive occasions where I had supplemental instrumental resources, using the traditional Latin chants always felt out of place, especially for the Gloria which follows so soon after what typically is a rousing entrance procession. Even though I love chant, the contrast between styles always seemed to make this hymn of praise more of a funeral dirge.

Finally, I took the time to write a more festive accompanied setting of the Latin text for the closing celebration of the Centennial of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kissimmee, Florida. While I may eventually do an SATB version and instrumental parts, the piece was first performed by on June 30, 2013 in unison by the combined choirs of Holy Redeemer. There is a congregational-friendly refrain and the verses are marked for women/men/all choral groupings but could just as easily be sung by a cantor alone.

Purchase of the downloadable score grants permission to reprint as necessary for performance by the person or organization. All other rights (including further distribution) are reserved.

O Sons and Daughters

This is an arrangement of the Easter Hymn O Filii et Filiae for SATB choir, organ and brass quintet. It was originally written for the 25th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Howard Hubbard as Bishop of the Diocese of Albany. The event was celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter and needed a lengthy piece for the entrance procession. In addition to including all nine verses of the hymn there are interludes between each verse. This arrangement served as the basis for the later arrangement used at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the Papal visit to New York City.

The score packet includes a full score, choral score, and parts for organ, horn, trumpet 1, trumpet 2, trombone 1, and trombone 2. Purchasers are granted permission to print or reprint scores as necessary for performance.

Vexilla Regis

Written by Venantius Fortunatus (530-609), Vexilla Regis is one of the great chant hymns of the church. Appropriately sung at vespers from Passion Sunday until Holy Thursday, on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross and even on Good Friday, the hymn was originally written to celebrate the arrival of a large relic of the True Cross in Poitiers, France.

In the French Classical tradition when singing hymns, the organ alternated verses with the choir. Having always enjoyed the sounds of the French Classical organs, when I had the opportunity to play a recital at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Albany, NY on Palm Sunday, I decided to write a suite for organ on this great hymn of the cross. The suite contains six movements and uses traditional tonal language and registrations of the period.

Vexilla Regis

  1. Plein jeu
  2. Duo
  3. Récit de voix humaine
  4. Basse de trompette
  5. Tierce en Taille
  6. Grand jeu
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Dilexisti justitiam

You prize justice and abhor wickedness,
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
With the oil of gladness, above your peers.

Dilexisti justitiam is the Introit for the Chrism Mass where the Sacred Oils are blessed every year during Holy Week. After experiencing the extremely lengthy entrance procession during my first Chrism Mass here in Orlando, I decided to write an extended musical setting of the introit that would lead easily into the hymn Lift High the Cross.

Scored for double choir, the composition may be performed with brass quartet playing the second choir. Hear a recording generated by Finale below.

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Lured by Pride

A simple anthem for SATB choir and organ for the First Sunday of Lent. Lyrics by J. Michael Thompson.

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