CHORAL AND HANDBELL MUSIC
Welcome to
THE WEB PAGE OF RALPH R. PRIME
(Choral and Handbell Director - Professor of Music,
at San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA.
from 1968 to 1989)
Some of the singers and ringers at Delta College
I am a retired college choral conductor and professor of music. I was the Director of Choral Organizations and Handbell Choirs for 21 years at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. This home page includes information about my published and non-published compositions. Thank you for taking a look. Peruse the list of compositions below, and if you find any of interest to you, please write me an e-mail message. mailto:ralphprime@earthlink.net I will be happy to snail mail a complimentary copy of the piece (or pieces) to you, as long as my supply lasts, and in addition I will send along a perusal tape of the music. Some of the tapes are of live performances of my works, and others are made on my synthesizer. Even the synthesizer tapes should give you a general idea of the potential of the piece.
If you should decide to perform any of these works, please buy the number of copies you will require from your favorite choral music outlet. In return, I would be very grateful if you would send me a tape of your completed performance. It doesn't matter if you feel it is a good performance or not. Just send me the tape and I will be very grateful. My snail mail address will be on the complimentary music and tape that I send to you.
Delta College was the first bell choir to have a G2
(That's the large bell on the left)
Eventually, we were the proud owners of two (2) five octave sets of Malmark Handbells. In addition we had an E 2, we doubled the upper octave of one of the five octave sets, we had 4 octaves of Petit and Fritzen dutch handbells, and we also owned a 3 octave set of Malmark Choir Chimes.
A great experience for my two handbell choirs!
PUBLISHED COMPOSITIONS BY RALPH R. PRIME
Check these out!
I'LL
PUT SOME RECORDINGS OF LIVE PERFORMANCES ON
AS SOON AS I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT!
O GRACIOUS LIGHT (Phos Hilaron)
SATB A Cappella. Music 70 Music Publishers M70-716.
A division of Lawson-Gould Music Publishers.
The text is from the ancient Greek
Liturgy. It makes a lovely evening hymn, and is used regularly in the
Episcopal Church as a part of Evensong.
PUER NATUS EST (A Child Is
Born) for mixed voices and handbells. Gentry Publications
JG2089. Most of the singing is in unison or octaves. The
text is provided in both Latin and English.
LET ALL MORTAL FLESH KEEP
SILENCE (Traditional French melody, the text is from the Liturgy of
St. James.) Mark Foster Music Company MF
2081. A simple arrangement of the lovely
French tune "Picardy" for unison voices and handbells. A very easy
handbell part.
COME, MY WAY (Words by George
Herbert) Mostly unison, some octaves. Mixed voices and Organ.
Descant Publications DA1039602.
THREE CAROLS FOR CHRISTMAS
1-DEEP
IN A WINTER'S NIGHT (Mixed voices and handbells or organ)
Pavane Publishing P1027.
This carol brings the hope that as Christ's birth brought love
and peace to a troubled world so long ago, each of us may find that same
peace and love as we celebrate our own Christmas
today.
2-A LITTLE
CHILD WAS BORN (mixed voices and handbells or organ)
Pavane Publishing
P1028.
This carol is a song of thanksgiving for God's gift of
true light, God's continuing presence with us (Emmanuel), and God's gift
of justice and the right. It is a prayer to God that we may be kept
in the true light, kept within God's sheltering presence, and kept in God's
love.
3-COME, THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS
(Mixed voices and handbells or organ)
Pavane Publishing
P1029.
This is a new setting of the fervent carol by Charles Wesley.
The words represent the hope of every Christian, renewed every Christmas,
that the long-expected Jesus will come again to bless our celebration of
his birth. Each time it is sung it is a prayer for "strength and
consolation," and a recognition that Jesus can indeed be the "joy of every
longing
heart."
THREE LIMERICKS (Treble voices, SSA, a cappella) National Music Publishers, Tustin, CA NMP-222 Three silly limericks about THE SWALLOW, A LAZY OLD TIGER, & THE GRASSHOPPER. Occasionally a vocal challenge, but mostly a very easy humorous octavo.
The day we got our E2 from Malmark!
For additional compositions,
not as yet published, go to Page 2
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE ROCKET TO PAGE 2
Updated 7-2-99