Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
***** One's "Homeland" is a place where a person or group has a cultural, national, or racial identity. In its most broad terms, it can also be family, creed, or faith. Societal differences in cultural, national, racial, political, social, or religious identities will always be there. We are humans. But peaceful co-existence starts with dialogue in HOMES, connecting with NEIGHBORS, kind acts to COMMUNITY members, and celebrating REGIONAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, and ALL "identities." May we stand proud and celebrate our own"homelands," while still appreciating those of others, and focus on building bridges. The goal is not for humanity to be become void of individual differences, but rather for humanity to CELEBRATE individualism and embrace the culture of others.
ZRS - conductor on this recording
*** CHORAL SCORES:
SATB - Colla Voce 45-21104 duration: 5'30"
SSA - Colla Voce 45-21106
TTBB - Colla Voce 48-96690
***INSTRUMENTAL ACCOMPANIMENTS
SSA/brass/percussion/organ score and parts: Colla Voce 45-21106A
SATB/brass/percussion/organ score and parts: Colla Voce 45-21104A
SATB/Wind Ensemble: Colla Voce 45-21104C
SATB/Orchestra: Colla Voce 45-20114B
Brass Instrumentation above: 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; Perc: BD, CC, DS, SC, tri; organ
Join the over 4,300 subscribers to Randall's channel, and see/hear the other 108 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in the spring. (Go to zrstroope.com to listen and see a score.)
***** One's "Homeland" is a place where a person or group has a cultural, national, or racial identity. In its most broad terms, it can also be family, creed, or faith. Societal differences in cultural, national, racial, political, social, or religious identities will always be there. We are humans. But peaceful co-existence starts with dialogue in HOMES, connecting with NEIGHBORS, kind acts to COMMUNITY members, and celebrating REGIONAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, and ALL "identities." May we stand proud and celebrate our own"homelands," while still appreciating those of others, and focus on building bridges. The goal is not for humanity to be become void of individual differences, but rather for humanity to CELEBRATE individualism and embrace the culture of others.
ZRS - conductor on this recording
*** CHORAL SCORES:
SATB - Colla Voce 45-21104 duration: 5'30"
SSA - Colla Voce 45-21106
TTBB - Colla Voce 48-96690
***INSTRUMENTAL ACCOMPANIMENTS
SSA/brass/percussion/organ score and parts: Colla Voce 45-21106A
SATB/brass/percussion/organ score and parts: Colla Voce 45-21104A
SATB/Wind Ensemble: Colla Voce 45-21104C
SATB/Orchestra: Colla Voce 45-20114B
Brass Instrumentation above: 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; Perc: BD, CC, DS, SC, tri; organ
Join the over 4,300 subscribers to Randall's channel, and see/hear the other 108 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in the spring. (Go to zrstroope.com to listen and see a score.)







![CARITAS ET AMOR (Where Charity & Love Are) Composed/Conducted by Z. Randall Stroope
***** Love serves as a sort of supernatural glue that gathers diverse people together. It requires setting aside divisions, anger, and all malicious quarrels, and seeing each other with mutual respect. True unity does not mean all are identical, but rather committed to a common purpose. [in unum - transl. as one.]
SSATB, Alliance Music #500 430
This work has been performed for the Feast of St. John the Baptist at the Vatican high mass every year since 2009. Commissioned by Dr. Stephen Town & the Northwest Missouri State University Tower Choir.
Join the over 4,300 subscribers to Randalls channel, and see/hear the other 107 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in February 2026.. (Go to zrstroope.com to listen to/see a score.) CARITAS ET AMOR (Where Charity & Love Are) Composed/Conducted by Z. Randall Stroope](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sKp8QUdqVNs/mqdefault.jpg)
![FRANKLIN - The FIRST American (Z. Randall Stroope) - Trailer celebrating Benjamin Franklin
***** Growing up in a poor family with 17 children, Franklin - an uneducated runaway - became one of the most notable historical figures of all time. Publishing newspapers, creating the post office, pioneering advances in science, founding universities and libraries, inventing the lightning rod, creating the Franklin Stove, starting a book on the cause of the common cold, discovering the Gulf Stream, organizing fire brigades, traveling across the Atlantic SEVEN times, diplomat to England and France, and the ONLY PERSON TO SIGN ALL THREE founding documents of this new country. Without his direct hand in shaping foreign and domestic policy, life would arguably be far different today, not just for those in this country, but far beyond: Our cause is the case of ALL humankind....we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own. (BF)
LOOKING FOR A FRESH EXTENDED WORK? Invigorate your programming with FRANKLIN - celebrating The First American [Benjamin Franklin] and his quest for Freedom and Liberty for people everywhere. CARNEGIE HALL premier April 11, 2026. Hinshaw Music, Z. Randall Stroope, composer & Pearl Shangkuan, conductor! NATIONAL CONCERTS, commissioner.
Orchestra: 2211-1330 (2 fl, 2 ob, cl in A, bsn, hn, 3 tpt in C, 2 tenor trb, bass trb) timp, perc (2), SATB chorus, strings
MOVEMENTS
1. The American Dream was Born
2. Poor Richard, Silence Dogood, and Benjamin Franklin (Early Years as Printer and Inventor)
3. The Delight of All That Knew Him (Death of Benjamin and Deborahs Son)
4. Struck By a Bolt of Fate (The Key and the Kite)
5. Where Freedom and Liberty Dwell, There is My Country
6. From Loyalist to Patriot
7. Finale
Join the over 4,300 subscribers to Randalls channel, and see/hear the other 108 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in the spring (Go to zrstroope.com to listen and see a score.) FRANKLIN - The FIRST American (Z. Randall Stroope) - Trailer celebrating Benjamin Franklin](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sVRZiaDqu0I/mqdefault.jpg)
![IRON RAIN (SSAA) - Z. Randall Stroope
***** Temperatures get so hot during the day on this planet that the iron on the surface evaporates into the atmosphere and creates clouds of metal! Then at night on this Exoplanet WASP-76b (600 light years from Earth), the temperature cools dramatically and the iron solidifies from its vapor state and falls back to the surface like rain. (Iron Rain). This turbulent, brilliant display of hail-like rain of iron clatters to the surface, like tiny marbles spilling out of a metal box.
Dr. Sam Illingworth, planetary scientist, university professor, and poet, wrote the text below which describes the raining of iron phenomenon. This is an excerpt from the poem, Beneath an Iron Sky.
SSAA/Piano 4-hands; (also SATB); Walton Music
Duration: 4:25
[Recording by Clay West, conductor, and the Sam Houston State University BELLES VOIX.]
BENEATH AN IRON SKY (excerpt)
. . .
As the searing heat
scorches the barren sky,
estranged metals disperse into
the turbulent atmosphere,
carried by Khamsin to
the cool, crisp nights,
where they tumble
to the surface
as a cooling balm of
ferrous mist.
Lost in time,
like rust in rain.
Khamsin is an oppressive, hot wind.
Ferrous is something containing or consisting of iron.
Join the over 4,180 subscribers to Randalls channel, and see/hear the other 108 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in this spring. (Go to zrstroope.com to listen and see a score.) IRON RAIN (SSAA) - Z. Randall Stroope](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t-2ZH54M-o0/mqdefault.jpg)
