26 September 2016 sees the world premiere of Paul Ayres’s “O laud the Lord”, in North Augusta, SC, USA.
This 12-minute piece was commissioned by Savannah River Winds (Richard Brasco, director) from British composer Paul Ayres, and is scored for SATB choir and symphonic wind orchestra. The texts set are Psalms 150 and 23 from The Sidney Psalter, an English translation and versification of the entire book of Psalms. Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586) created poetic versions of the first 43 psalms, and after his death the project was completed by his sister, Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke (1561-1621). The Psalter was not published until 1823, and there are few musical settings of these wonderful Elizabethan words.
*weblinks*
http://savannahriverwinds.weebly.com/calendar.html
http://www.paulayres.co.uk/catalogue/405
*information from Savannah River Winds*
The premiere will be part of an annual concert entitled PRISM. Savannah River Winds first performed this concert approximately eight years ago in conjunction with the Westobou Arts Festival, sponsored by the Augusta Arts Council. The idea was to feature local talent on both sides of the Savannah River. Our part in this was to present a concert that would demonstrate the “colors” of the wind ensemble. A dozen chamber ensembles were staged in various areas of the church; in the balcony, in front of the audience, on the side of the audience, etc. Once the first chamber group was finished the second one began, and so on. In this type of concert, the audience gets to hear each section of the wind ensemble on its own. It’s interesting to watch as the audience focuses its attention to the flute choir in the balcony, and when they are finished, turn and see a tuba quartet performing behind them, then looking to the left as the saxophone quartet begins. And it goes on around the entire sanctuary from top to bottom and side to side.
*texts set*
(spellings modernised)
O laud the Lord, the God of hosts commend,
Exalt his pow’r, advance his holiness:
With all your might lift his almightiness;
Your greatest praise upon his greatness spend.
Make trumpet’s noise in shrillest notes ascend;
Make lute and lyre his loved fame express;
Him let the pipe, him let the tabret bless,
Him organ’s breath, that winds or waters lend.
Let ringing timbrels so his honor sound,
Let sounding cymbals so his glory ring,
That in their tunes such melody be found
As fits the pomp of most triumphant king.
Conclude: by all that air or life enfold,
Let high Jehovah highly be extolled.
The Lord, the Lord, my Shepherd is,
And so can never I
Taste misery:
He rests me in green pastures His:
By waters still and sweet,
He guides my feet.
He me revives; leads me the way
Which righteousness doth take,
For His name’s sake:
Yea, though I should through valleys stray
Of death’s dark shade, I will
No whit fear ill.
For Thou, dear Lord, Thou me besett’st
Thy rod and Thy staff be
To comfort me:
Before me Thou a table settest,
Even when foe’s envious eye
Doth it espy.
Thou oilst my head, Thou fillest my cup;
Nay more, Thou endless good,
Shalt give me food.
To Thee, I say, ascended up,
Where Thou, the Lord of all,
Dost hold Thy hall.
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