for SATB with piano and organ
This is a substantial setting of the canticles of Mary and Simeon, suitable for performance in both concert and liturgical settings. The choral writing features fugal counterpoint and a chromatic soundworld rooted around the octatonic scale. The text is in English throughout, with occasional Latin interjections in the Magnificat. Notably, the choir is accompanied by both piano and organ, a combination that reflects the tradition of the Black American church in which the composer grew up, where both instruments were used simultaneously for almost all service music. The resulting timbral effect is quite unique, with the more percussive piano sound twinkling over the sustained organ writing. Bringing a fresh voice to an established genre, this setting presents a rewarding challenge for singers and the opportunity for congregations or audiences to appreciate familiar words in a new way.
