(SATB AND ORGAN)
SKU:
HL.1122017
For
Treble Semichorus, SATB
Chorus, Percussion and
Organ. Composed by
Nico Muhly. Choral.
Softcover. St. Rose Music
#SRO100013-01. Published
by St. Rose Music
(HL.1122017).
ISBN
9781705181744. UPC:
196288108986.
A
Good Understanding (2005)
was written for Tim Brown
and the choir of Clare
College, Cambridge with
the generous cooperation
of John Scott and the
Boys of Saint Thomas
Church Fifth Avenue. A
Good Understanding, with
texts culled from two
psalms, is designed to
share a program with
Rutter's expansive and
expressive Mass of the
Children. The piece
unfolds episodically
short choral phrases
alternating with longer
instrumental interludes.
The first half of the
text is typical psaltry
praise-making: outlining
agreements, explaining
the rules; the music is,
accordingly, severe but
practical. The second
half of the text begins,
The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom/a
good understanding have
all they that do his
commandments.?I find the
idea of a good
understanding?to be an
especially exciting
reward for following the
rules; the boys sing
pulsed syllables and long
descants to celebrate the
covenant while the choir
sings a lilting,
repetitive refrain.
(Psalm 111, 10). - Nico
Muhly.