Hal Leonard Europe has announced the first titles in an extensive new series for choirs called SAM-Klang. Conceived by Danish arranger and conductor Morten Schuldt-Jensen, SAM-Klang editions present classic choral works in unique SAM (soprano, alto and one low voice) arrangements. SAM-Klang (a Danish word for 'harmony') provides a solution to the issue that many choruses face: a lack of low voices, and in particular, tenors. This challenge confronts youth choirs, before voices have fully developed; older singers, as their high range naturally declines, and choruses of all types and sizes, given that the distribution of voice types among singers in Europe favours high voices two to one.
The SAM-Klang series presents carefully crafted arrangements that retain the characteristic features of the original pieces and have almost the same richness of timbre. Schuldt-Jensen's approach to adapting the original SATB scoring aims to not only consolidate the low voice parts, but enhances the other lines also, re-balancing harmonic responsibility across the choir.
The series also has a range of educational applications for developing vocal, ensemble and conducting technique.
For more information, see SAM-Klang.com.
Morten Schuldt-Jensen is a professor of choral and orchestral conducting at the Freiburg University of Music and former choral director of the Gewandhaus in Leipzig (1999-2007). In addition to his teaching activities, he has worked in Scandinavia and Germany with well-known European ensembles such as SWR Vocal Ensemble, RIAS Chamber Choir, the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Akademie für Alte Musik. He performs regularly with his Danish choir Sokkelund Sangkor, with the Immortal Bach Ensemble and the Leipzig Chamber Orchestra, of which he is chief conductor and artistic director.
Posted: Wed 27th July 2022