The Oxford Book of Easy Flexible Anthems

Alan Bullard was born in London and studied with Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music, and at Nottingham University. He enjoyed a successful career in music education; for many years he was Head of Composition at Colchester Institute, and is currently an examiner for ABRSM. He now devotes most of his time to composing, editing, and arranging. His music unfailingly appeals to both performers and audiences; he has written for all kinds of choirs, and instrumental works for a variety of ensembles and orchestras. Alan is a respected writer of music for examination syllabuses and educational albums. His major publications include the four inspirational Oxford Flexible Choral Anthologies, Alan Bullard Anthems, and the five cantatas Wondrous Cross, O Come Emmanuel, A Light in the Stable, Psalmi Penitentiales, and Images of Peace. He and his wife Janet also write the Pianoworks series for the older beginner.

It is an excellent collection of 66 anthems suitable for the church choir that wants to sing anthems regularly but may sometimes struggle to have a balanced number of parts. Most of these pieces can be sung effectively in unison, and all have suggestions for performance by varied ensembles, so some are most effective as two-part pieces, others SATB or SAB. For church choirs with limited rehearsal time, this book will be valuable. With this collection, you don't have to abandon a particular anthem when your only tenor is away. Flexibility allows omitting or rearranging parts without sacrificing the integrity of the composition.