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Psalm 18
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You are purchasing high quality sheet music PDF files suitable for printing or viewing on digital devices.The composition is a fusion of Hebrew and English. It is a unique and melodious, rhythmically active, adaptation of the 18th Psalm of David. "I Love Thee, O Lord, My Strength," for solo cantor (written as a tenor, but applicable for a soprano an octave above) and SATB chorus.
This setting of Psalm 18 selects from the Hebrew, with transliterations provided by the BHS Hebrew Bible, accessed from: http://bhst.hebrewtanakh.com/psalms/18.htm The English text comes from the King James Bible. The decision to use this text relates to the poetic qualities of Early Modern English.
Please note that the Movement Numbers refer to the opening line of the Psalm.
Stylistically, I drew inspiration from Paul Hindemith and Leonard Bernstein, to create both a martial and lyrical atmosphere. I also drew from the early American choral composer Wiliam Billings. The imagery is very powerful, with mighty spiritual metaphors.
Each movement can be played alone or separately. The movement numbers come from the lines attributed to the psalm.
The performance's tempo markings can be altered for dramatic effect and ease, regarding the judgement of the conductor.
I: "I will love thee, O LORD, my strength III: "I will call upon THE LORD" IV: "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid." VII: "Then the earth shook and trembled" XII: "At the Brightness that Was Before Him" XVI: "He sent from above." XLIX: "Therefore will I give thanks"