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Baba Yetu

Purchase & Rental Links,
Program Notes, and Rehearsal Materials


PROGRAM INFORMATION

Original Instrumentation: Orchestra, Hand Percussion, SSATBB Choir, Tenor and Alto Soloists
Text: The Lord's Prayer (sung in Swahili)
Duration: 3:30
Year: 2005

Performance History: First performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Talisman A Cappella, conducted by Jack Wall, September 21, 2006. Subsequent performances include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Philharmonic, and in concert at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Disney Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, and the United Nations General Assembly Hall.

Program Notes: 'Baba Yetu' is a Swahili setting of The Lord's Prayer, originally commissioned as the theme song for the video game Civilization IV. Since its debut in 2005, it's become an immensely popular choral work and one of the most critically acclaimed pieces of music written for a video game, winning a Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.

FROM CHRISTOPHER: "Missionaries of the 19th-century used Swahili as the lingua franca for spreading Christianity across East Africa; consequently, a rich tradition of vocal music arose that blended European harmonies with traditional African call-and-response. My setting of The Lord's Prayer introduces several new elements into this tradition: an explosive orchestral accompaniment, as well as a complex series of modulations to bring the choral setting into a variety of tonal centers. This became my template for many pieces to follow, particularly on my song cycles 'Calling All Dawns' and 'The Drop That Contained the Sea'."




REHEARSAL MATERIALS


Lyrics

Pronunciation
Guides

Pronunciation
Recordings




AVAILABLE EDITIONS

Reduced Orchestration
Most-commonly performed orchestration to approximate the sound of the album
2.2.2.2/4.0.2+1.1/Timp+5/Pno/Harp/Strings
[Perc: GC, Tam-tam, SusCym x2, Chimes, Finger Cymbals, Taiko, Ashiko, Shkr, Caxixi]
Worldwide Rental: Boosey & Hawkes


Chamber Orchestration
Significantly reduced winds, brass, and percussion (revised April 2017)
1.1.1.0/2.0.1+1.0/Timp+3/Pno/Harp/Strings
[Perc: SusCym, Taiko, Ashiko, Shkr, Caxixi]
Worldwide Rental: Boosey & Hawkes


SSATBB Octavo
SSATBB Choir, Piano
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


SATB Octavo
SATB Choir, Piano
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


SAB Octavo
SAB Choir, Piano
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


SSAA Octavo
SSAA Choir, Piano
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


TTBB Octavo
TTBB Choir, Piano
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Concert Band
Concert Band
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Marching Band
Marching Band
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Flex Band
Flex Band
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Pop Strings
String Orchestra
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Piano Quintet
Piano Quintet version specially prepared for the UN Chamber Music Society
Piano, Violin x2, Viola, Cello
Score and Parts Worldwide Purchase: webstore


Educational Piano
Piano solo
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Educational Easy Piano
Piano solo
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Educational Guitar
Guitar solo
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom


Educational Easy Guitar
Guitar solo
North America Purchase: Hal Leonard
Rest-of-World Purchase: Musicroom



DISCONTINUED EDITIONS

"Alfred Accompaniment" Orchestration
Legacy orchestration matching the Alfred choral octavos; includes parts for trumpets
2.2.2.2/4.3.2+1.1/Timp+5/Pno/Harp/Strings
[Perc: GC, Tam-tam, SusCym, Chimes, Finger Cymbals, Taiko, Ashiko, Shkr, Caxixi]


SSATBB Octavo
Main choral octavo for use with full orchestra (SoundTrax available)
SSATBB Choir, Alto and Tenor Soloists, Piano


SATB Divisi A Cappella with Perc Octavo
A Cappella version with optional percussion parts (SoundTrax available)
SATB Divisi, Alto and Tenor Soloists, Optional Percussion


TTBB Octavo
TTBB Choir, Tenor Soloist, Piano


String Orchestra
Educational String Orchestra arrangement


Concert Band
Educational Concert Band arrangement


Piano/Vocal/Chords
Educational Piano and Vocal Solo edition