2

O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL is translated from the Ecclesiastical Latin text "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel"
in the mid-19th century. Of unclear origins, it is thought that the antiphons are from as early as the 8th
century while "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" the 12th century. Based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14,
the text states that God will give Israel a sign and he shall be called Emmanuel.

This arrangement enjoyed the world premiere at the Vienna Votiv Church in 2010 to rave reviews. It uses a
long drone and overtone singing to create an ancient atmosphere of mysterioso before the introduction of the
antiphon. In great anticipation of the coming of the Son, the stirring and impatience were heightened by the
tri-tonal aleatory before the exuberant G-major homophony of "Rejoince! Rejoice! ..."

The cross-relation of major and minor tonality at the final cadences of chorus and coda harkens back to
ancient sacred work. The coda of soloists' aleatory recreates the mystical atmosphere albeit a calmer one
than the "until the Son of God ..." section. The hovering cloud of minor dominance of the open fifth was
pierced through by the final solo with a major 3rd like a shaft of bright light that came to the dark earth.

It has since been performed in Barcelona, Madrid, Prague, Krakow, Kaunas, and Singapore.

TOH BAN SHENG

conductor, arranger, and adjudicator

Starting out essentially as a self-taught musician, former Physics teacher Toh completed two master’s degrees in
Choral Conducting and Voice from the USA with the support of a National Arts Council Bursary. Toh has since
come to be recognised as an eminent conductor and music educator with an illustrious track record, having garnered
more than 70 gold awards at national and international competitions.

An active member in the international choral scene, Toh is a highly sought after guest-conductor, clinician, and
adjudicator. He has also written for the International Choral Bulletin and had his music published in the United States.
His choirs have won numerous Grand Prix, Category Champions and Special Jury Prizes in Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia, and he has been honoured with
Conductor’s Prizes seven times. To date, he has brought his conducting work to many major cities such as London,
Paris and Vienna.

At home in Singapore, Toh’s choirs have twice won the highest national accolade of Best Choir of the Year Award.
He has also served as a Music Specialist with the Ministry of Education. Among many other notable appointments,
he conducted the 800-strong National Day Parade Combined Choir in 1999 at the national stadium on live telecast.
In recognition of his artistic achievements and contributions in the Singapore music arena, Toh was conferred the
Young Artist Award in 2006 by the National Arts Council and the Honorary Member in 2016 by the Choral Directors
of Association Singapore.

He is currently the director of five award-winning choirs in Singapore schools and junior colleges, in addition to
directing the Raffles Singers and Amoris Singers. Since 2014, he has been serving as the Artistic Director of
International Choral Festival Orientale Concentus held in Singapore. Toh is married with a daughter. His self-titled
biography“The Accidental Conductor”, was published in 2010. The Choral Series under his name with Earthsongs
Music Publication (USA) was launched in 2012.
Perusal score for Raffles Singers (2022)
Randy Stenson
3
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
World Premiered by Raffles Voices at Vienna Votivkirche on 25 Nov 2010

arr. Ban Sheng TOH

° #2
arrive strong so that

U
mp. choir can dim. slowly

SOPRANO & 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ w
O come, O come, Em - ma - nu - el!

# U
ALTO & 22 œ œw œ œ œ œ˙™ œ œ œ w
O come, O come, Em - ma - nu - el!

# U
& 22 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
w
‹
TENOR
œ
O come, O come, Em - ma - nu - el!

? # 22 U
3-4 harmonic singing

BASS
¢
w ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ w w w
Oo - - - - - - - - - -

° # ˙˙ ™™
5

œ w œœ w
w
&
And ran - - Is - ra - el.

# œ œ
& œ œ œ wœ œ œ œ w
w
And ran - som cap - tive Is - ra - el.

#
& œ wœ œ wœ ˙ w
œ œ œ
‹
w
And ran - som cap - tive Is - ra - el.
harmonic singing*

?# U ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¢
w w w w

Copyright © BSTOH 2010

4

° #
9

& œ œw œ œ œ ẇ œ œ w
w
That mourns in lone - ly ex - ile here.

#
& œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ w
w
That mourns in lone - ly ex - ile here.

#
& œ œ œœ œœ œœ ˙˙ œœ œ w
w
‹
œ
harmonic singing* That mourns in lone - ly ex - ile here.

?# U ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¢
w w w w

* harmonic singing enters before the previous

chords fades into niente to create a seamless
landscape of sound.

** exaggerate consonants "t", "s", and "p".

start with unison and stagger out from "Son..."
so that the sporadic "s" creates a stereo effect.

° #
Some singers can repeat the aleatory until it thins out.

˙ ÍÍÍÍ
13

& œ #œ #œ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ
Un - til the Son of God ap - pear!

#
**

& œ œ œ œ œœ œœœ w ÍÍÍÍÍÍ

Un - til the Son of God ap - pear!

#
& œœ œ œ œœœ œ œ ˙ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
‹ Un - til the Son of God ap - pear!
harmonic singing*

w ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
?# U œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ wÍÍ
¢
Un - til the Son of God ap- pear!
 5

° # U™ œ ˙™ ˙™ œ œ œ œ ˙™
18

œ œœ œœ œœ œ̇ œ œœ œœ
f. sub. p.
& ˙ œ œ œ
Re - joice! Re - joice! Em - ma nu - el shall come to thee O Is - ra -
#U
& ˙™ œ ˙™ œ ˙™ #œ ˙ œ œ ˙™ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ

# U™
& ˙ œ ˙™ œ #˙˙ ™™ œ ˙
˙ nœœ œ ˙ ™ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œœ
œ œ
œ
‹ Re - joice! Re - joice! Em - ma nu - el shall come to thee O Is - ra -

?# U œ ˙˙ ™™ ˙ ™™ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ̇ œ œœ œœ
¢
˙™ œ ˙ œ œ̇ œ œ #œ ˙™ œ œ

° #U
2-3 soloists 1 soloist
25
w *** ˙ #w
& w œ œ œ ˙
el. O come to thee! Re - joice!

U
2-3 soloists
#
& #˙ ˙ œ œ nœ w
O come to thee!

#U
2-3 soloist

& w œ œœœœ˙
‹ el. O Is - ra - el.

2-3 soloists

?# U œœœ œœ
¢
w w
O Is - ra - el
*** arrive full then dim. into open hum or "Oo"
before the soloists enter.
duration ca. 3 min.