Choir Library

The series Breitkopf & Härtel Choir Library compiles almost all available single editions for choir from 300 years of publishing history for the first time. This collection of ten volumes, which will be completely available at the publishing company's anniversary in 2019, is intended to give an overview on the current repertoire and to encourage the rediscovery of lesser known works. The original notational image was preserved to emphasize the 'library'-character of the volumes and to ensure the consistency with the single editions that are still separately available by the respectively mentioned Chorbibliothek-numbers (ChB). This way, choir conductors can also use the volumes for the selection and expansion of their repertoire before ordering the respective single editions for the whole choir.

The volume for women's and children's choir especially invites browsing and discovering: Apart from Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert, also lesser known composers like Arnold Mendelssohn, Hanns Eisler and Siegfried Strohbach are represented. The division of the volume into sacred and secular compositions as well as the sorting by genres and themes enable a fast locating and retrieving of the pieces. This also makes the usage of the volume by the whole choir a viable option in order to have a 'basic repertoire' at hand. Last but not least, the small oeuvre for women's and children's choir can be purposefully complemented with this volume.

The sacred part is sorted by genres: It begins with Christmas carols and motets, followed by Songs of praire and psalm settings. General sacred choral works ensue before a longer section of masses, mass sections and hymns concludes the sacred part. The secular part, on the other hand, is sorted by themes: love songs and ballads as well as nature and evening songs are found here, followed by the children's songs. These consist of two song collections by Cesar Bresgen and Hanns Eisler. The last five pieces of the collection by Eisler form the parting songs and solemn pieces together with Sibelius' Be still, my soul. A longer cantata of dance and folk songs concludes the volume.

We wish you lots of joy at discovering and singing!