John Milne
Composer
/ Villa Park, Illinois
Member since July 2019
e-mail: johnmilne@sprynet.com
Born in the US to British immigrant parents, John grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and has lived in Chicago for the past 25 years. After a long career writing, arranging and singing pop (The Toons, two-time Gold Cabaret Award winners and early MTV act), alt-country (Long Gone Lonesome Boys with over one million I-Tunes and Spotify downloads) and a cappella (with three-time Harmony Sweepstakes winners Chicago Voice Exchange), he has turned to composing more serious choral music in recent years, becoming a published composer and winning numerous national and international composition contests
My Style
Neo-classical, 80% Bach, 10% jazz, 10% Swedish folk music
Featured Compositions
Listen to works by John Milne
now playing
The Virgin's Lullaby Lament
a cappella (SSAA)
A setting of the saddest carol lyric I've ever heard, a good change of pace in a Christmas concert
now playing
When All the World's Asleep
SATB
A setting of an wonderful Irish Christmas poem. This is available from Pavane/Hal Leonard/J W Pepper
now playing
Do You Know the Song that the Angels Sang?
SATB
A nice "gloria" for Christmas. This is available from Pavane/Hal Leonard/J W Pepper
now playing
Soft and Safe to Thee
SATB
A setting of a poem read at funerals
now playing
Bird Song
SATB with soprano solo
An animal rights anthem (no, it's beautiful, really!)
now playing
Per Crucem ad Lucem
SSATB
A setting of the Latin phrase meaning "Through the Cross to the Light" as a five part fugue
now playing
Soldier Boy
SATB with tenor solo
A setting of a heart-breaking WWI poem called "Suicide in the Trenches"
now playing
The Falcon (Corpus Christi Carol)
SATB
A setting of a mystic medieval poem about an astral trip!
now playing
The Winter It is Past
SATB
A setting of a lovely Robert Burns poem
now playing
Everyone Suddenly Burst Out Singing
SSATB
A setting of a Siegfried Sassoon poem inspired by Christmas Eve 1918, when German and English troops heard one another singing carols a declared an improtu truce, came together and sang together to celebrate Christmas.
now playing
Come, Little Leaves
SATB
A setting of a lovely George Cooper poem, perfect for non-religious funerals or fall concerts
now playing
The Jesus Prayer
SSATB
A setting of the Jesus Prayer, which is very important in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, together a quote that often appears on the tombs of Templar Knights in Malta. A hymn of deep repentance and hope.
now playing
Melchior's Carol
SATB
A carol about the Wise Man who brought myrrh, with a "Gloria in Excelsis" chorus.
now playing
Still Falls the Rain
SSATB
A setting of an Edith Sitwell poem, written during the Blitz of London in 1940, one of the most powerful affirmations of faith in the face of human evil ever written.
now playing
The Golden Sea
a cappella
A setting of a lovely transcendentalist poem by Samuel Longfellow about the sky, the sea, sunset, the soul, the oneness of it all!
now playing
Respirare
SATB choir, cello and tubular bells
A setting of a portion of the Epistles of Petrus Blesensis, a 12th century monk and scholar. The text is in Latin.
English translation: I am a mortal man, sold into sinful bondage; I am trapped deep in the mire, and even in the glorious freedom of the children of God, I can't breathe. Help me, help me Lord...
now playing
The Cloak, the Boat, and the Shoes
SATB
A setting of a Yeats poem. I came across it at the height of Covid, and it seemed so apt - it's about taking sorrow and turning it into something useful and beautiful. Available from Pavane, Hal Leonard or J. W. Pepper.
now playing
It Was a Lover and His Lass
SATB
A setting of the famous Shakespeare song. This will be available on Pavane, Hal Leonard and J. W. Pepper next spring.
now playing
Home, They Brought Her Warrior Dead
SATB
A setting of a lovely Tennyson poem