The Three Wise Women (SSA + piano) - a jazzy Christmas song by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange

St r ste by che d ne in io , W iss ol ir y m o he ar m ch k t ers S r Co n’s ma niv n u ith to th a 5 13

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The Three Wise Women Music & Lyrics Joanna Forbes L’Estrange

a jazzy Christmas song

SSA + piano andagio

I always enjoy writing for women about women and have been commissioned to write many such pieces over the years, often setting my own lyrics (as in A woman (wearing bloomers) on a wheel, Twenty-first-centur y Woman and We will remember them) and sometimes setting words by other female writers (as in Give us grace, my setting of a prayer by Jane Austen). The sound of female voices singing in close harmony with each other has been a passion of mine ever since hearing recordings of The Andrews Sisters when I was young; indeed, the first piece I ever wrote was a setting of Amaz ing Grace for the four female voices of The Swingles when I was their MD. My inspiration for writing The Three W ise Women came from a desire to redress the balance of choral repertoire about biblical characters; choirs have a choice of songs, anthems and hymns about the three wise men (or the three Kings) but just as crucial in the nativity story are the three women who feature in this piece: Mary, mother of Jesus; Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; Anna, the prophet who recognised Jesus as the son of God the moment she saw him enter the temple for the first time. The fact that one was young, one middle aged and one very old when they became a part of the story appealed to me, as did their unerring trust in God. While this piece will work well in the context of Christmas services and concerts, it’s not exclusively Christmassy. The underlying message of the text is the importance of demonstrating the three Christian attributes of faith, hope and love in our lives, something which is relevant all year round. The music is in the style of swung jazz, that is to say that what looks on the page like a regular pair of quavers should always be performed in a dum-de-dum-de-dum rhythm ie. long-short triplets. The words are paramount and should be pronounced in a speech-like way, as if telling a story, and with plenty of expression and smiles!

Ideally The Three W ise Women will be performed from memory to enable singers to click their fingers at the points marked in the score. The lyrics are provided separately on the back page as a learning aid; they can also be reproduced in the concert programme or service sheet to enhance the experience for the audience or congregation.

Joanna Forbes L’ Estrange, September 2019

Approximate duration 3.5 minutes

Commissioned by YiRu Chiam Hall for St Swithun's School, Winchester to mark their 135th anniversary First performed on 12 December 2019 in Winchester Cathedral, UK Copyright © 2019 andagio

Commissioned by St Swithun' s School, W inchester to mark their 1 35th anniversar y

The Three Wise Women Music and lyrics by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange

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Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (b.1971) is a British singer, songwriter and choral composer who receives engagements throughout the world. A Master of Arts music graduate of Oxford University, she began her career as soprano and Musical Director of the five-time Grammy® Award-winning a cappella group the Swingle Singers, during which time she started composing and arranging music.

She is founder and artistic director of the all-female vocal group AQUILA and appeared as a judge on the Sky 1 television series Sing: Ultimate A Cappella. In 2018, she made history with her charity single Twenty-first-century Woman, the first all-female recording session ever to have taken place at Abbey Road Studios.

For more information visit joannaforbeslestrange.com Facebook Joanna Forbes L’Estrange; Twitter @JoForbesLE; Instagram @joforbeslestrange

L’Estrange Music … for you and your choir For perusal scores, audio demos, learning resources, videos and to order sheet music go to lestrangemusic.com To book us to run a rehearsal on our music with your choir or to commission us to write a new piece/arrangement for your choir and for any other enquiries email us info@lestrangemusic.com To be the first to hear about new music from L’Estrange Music Like us on Facebook L’Estrange Music Follow us on Twitter @ForbesLEstrange Follow us on Instagram @lestrangesinthenight See back page for more pieces for Upper Voice Choirs

L’Estrange Music More pieces for Upper Voice Choirs

by Alexander L’Estrange & Joanna Forbes L’Estrange

Amazing Grace An Irish Blessing A Woman (Wearing Bloomers) on a Wheel Three Eva Cassidy songs Friends Apart and True Give Us Grace High as the Heavens Hodie!

Let Nothing Disturb Thee Love’s Philosophy New College Service On Eagles’ Wings Panis Angelicus Red is the Colour St Swithun’s Preces & Responses Suffragette March The Chorister’s Prayer There Will Always Be Music The Three Wise Women The Twyford Carols This is our World Twenty-first-century Woman We Will Remember Them Winter Songs

SSAA (unaccomp.)

SSA + piano & opt. flute SSA + piano SA + piano SSAA + piano SSAA (optional piano) SSAA (unaccomp.)

SA + organ SA + organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ 2-part trebles + organ SSA + organ SA + piano (& opt. flugel) SSA + optional organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ SSA + piano SSA + piano SA + piano & opt. percussion SSAA + piano SSA + piano SSA + piano & opt. trumpet Unison/2-part + piano

www.lestrangemusic.com

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