Passion Music

Vocal score

Forces or Category: Female gospel soloist, SATB & jazz ensemble

Orchestration: pno, bass, drum kit, sax (sop/alto - 1 player), tpt, tbn, timp/perc

40-minute work, highlighting different points in the Passion story
Continues the fusion of jazz and choral music so successfully blended in Todd's Mass in Blue
Plenty of expressive freedom for the female gospel soloist, who sings both with the choir and independently
Seven-part jazz accompaniment, presented as a piano reduction (for rehearsal only) in the vocal score

'Next Easter, if not Bach, why not Todd?' C&O

Passion Music

Vocal score

Description

Passion Music continues the fusion of jazz and choral music so successfully blended in Will Todd's Mass in Blue. The structure highlights different points in the Passion story, beginning with a new setting of 'Greater love has no man' and including an evocative Stabat Mater, a movement focusing on the seven last words of Christ, and a setting of 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?'. While some sections are reflective, Todd also makes full use of his understanding of energetic jazz and gospel. The vocal soloist is given plenty of expressive freedom, singing both with the choir and independently to achieve the characteristic jazz-soul style. The seven-piece jazz accompaniment, which is presented in the vocal score as a piano reduction for rehearsal only, completes the ensemble.
The full score and set of parts for the jazz accompaniment are available on sale and hire. A complete backing track and individual rehearsal tracks for the vocal parts are also available to download.

Programme Notes:

Since composing Mass in Blue in 2003 I have been searching for another large-scale project in which to showcase my love of jazz improvising and the beauty and energy of the choral sound. Finally, in 2017, an opportunity arose to create a new jazz choral work for the choirs of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and Passion Music is the product of that. The work is an exploration of Easter-themed texts, roughly following the contours of the passion narrative, and uses a soloist as an inspirational and evangelistic voice leading the emotional direction of the complete piece, rather than in the traditional sense of narrating the gospel text. I was thrilled to be able to work with Shaneeka Simon in developing a truly gospel solo part to weave in and around the ensemble and choral textures.
Passion Music has nine movements, mixing hymn texts, gospel quotations, and texts of my own. The rhythm section music, although fully notated, will benefit from improvising performers, who are encouraged to bring their own ideas and textures to the work, making use of the chord symbols. It is also expected that the solo part will be embellished in performance, and there are free improvising sections indicated by wavy lines and appropriate chord symbols. Not all the notated ornamentation needs to be followed - the soloist should feel free to find their own authentic gospel style. Note that the keyboard reduction in the vocal score is for rehearsal only, and the full ensemble backing is required for performance. Pedalling in the keyboard part is marked when specific effects are required; otherwise the player should use the pedal ad lib. throughout. Passion Music may also be performed liturgically with interspersed readings.

'Next Easter, if not Bach, why not Todd?' C&O

Passion Music

Vocal score

Will Todd

Passion Music

Vocal score

Will Todd

Composer Information

Will Todd (b.1970)

British composer and pianist Will Todd has worked at the Royal Opera House, the Lincoln Center in New York, London's Barbican, and with Welsh National Opera, award-winning choirs The Sixteen, BBC Singers, and Tenebrae. He travels extensively world-wide, workshopping with choirs, and conducting performances of his works. Will's music is valued for its melodic intensity and harmonic skill, often incorporating jazz colours, and his choral music is much in demand from amateur as well as professional performers. He is best-known for his choral works, and his jazz-inspired Mass in Blue has been performed hundreds of times since its premiere in 2003. This has been followed by his critically acclaimed Passion Music. His anthem, The Call of Wisdom, was commissioned for HRH The Queen's Diamond Jubilee service at Westminster Abbey.

Will Todd's website

'Next Easter, if not Bach, why not Todd?' C&O

Passion Music

Vocal score

Will Todd

Reviews and Awards

"Fans of Will Todd's jazz-soul style will be delighted to learn that he has now written a substantial work for Passiontide, Passion Music. . . . This is the work of a confident composer. The nine movements have at their heart a vibrant setting of the Seven Last Words; and Todd has the confidence to link these outbursts with his own text. The musical vocabulary is absolutely self-assured, leading us through a great variety of moods. The composer also has the self-belief to take old, familiar words and give them new tunes . . . Next Easter, if not Bach, why not Todd?" - Jeremy Jackman, Choir & Organ, March 2019

"Although the faster movements (such as 'A new commandment') rock along with tremendous rhythmic verve, it is the unaccompanied moments of relative stillness which are especially affecting, for example 'My love has died for me'" - Malcolm Riley, www.gramophone.co.uk, March 2019

"British pianist Will Todd has gained a significant reputation as a choral composer, with much of his work deriving from the jazz idiom . . . the work speaks authentically in its idiom with no trace of artifice or contrived expression. Despite the jazz language, the choral parts are well suited to church choirs trained in a more classical vein. On the other hand, the solo requires a singer with considerable skill and comfort in improvisation, jazz vocal technique, and potentially scat singing . . . Choirs will likely find the rhythm, with its characteristic syncopations, the most challenging aspect of the music. Melodies are catchy, part writing is intuitive, and ranges are modest. For any ensemble willing to embrace the jazz style, this work could be a welcome addition to the Lenten repertoire." - Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, March 2019

'Next Easter, if not Bach, why not Todd?' C&O

Passion Music

Vocal score

Will Todd

From Our Blog

A Q&A with composer Will Todd

British composer and pianist Will Todd has worked at the Royal Opera House, the Lincoln Center in New York, London's Barbican, and with Welsh National Opera, award-winning choirs The Sixteen, the BBC Singers, and Tenebrae. His music is valued for its melodic intensity and harmonic skill, which often incorporates jazz colours. We caught up with Will to ask him a few questions about his inspiration and approach to composition.

Posted on July 13, 2018

Read the blog post