Professional Documents
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M ASS
CandHILDREN
other sacred music
by JOHN RUTTER
institution of special significance to me. I will sing with the spirit (1994) is dedicated to
another institution, the Royal School of Church Music, who requested a simple anthem to
serve as a theme song for their anniversary appeal.
The final three pieces on the album form a group insofar as they are all for choir without
orchestra and on a more demanding level chorally. Musica Dei donum (1998), which has
an important part for solo flute, is a setting of an anonymous text first set by Lassus in 1594
that speaks of the power of music to draw, to soothe, and to uplift. Originally written for the
choir of Clare College, this piece was subsequently included in A Garland for Linda, a cycle of
nine choral pieces by different composers in memory of Linda McCartney. I my BestBeloveds am (2000) was written for the BBC Singers and first performed by them at a concert in Canterbury Cathedral on the theme of the seven sacraments. I was assigned the theme
of marriage, and found my text by combining the Latin nuptial responses (sung by the tenors
and basses) with a lovely and little-known poem by the Jacobean Francis Quarles (sung by the
sopranos and altos). Come down, O Love divine (1998), for double choir, has a curious
history. It was commissioned by the Musicians Benevolent Fund for their annual St Cecilias
Day service, a splendid event held (in rotation) in Westminster Abbey, St Pauls Cathedral, or
Westminster Cathedral, with their three choirs joining forces and musicians past and present
gathered in a spirit of thanksgiving and celebration. As it turned out, the 1998 service was to
be held in Westminster Abbey, which was then in the midst of some rather public
unhappiness, the details of which were widely reported at the time and need not be
recounted here. I suspect that my choice of texts was influenced by these dramatic events: in
particular the invocation Veni, Sancte Spiritus. Like most musicians, I dont relish conflict
and confrontation, even when they do not involve me personally, yet out of this particular
turmoil came a piece which, I think, speaks with a different voice from any of my others.
JOHN RUTTER
Tenors:
Basses:
9 A Clare Benediction (3' 07")
Emily Benson, *Lucy Crowe, Grace Davidson, Emma Preston Dunlop, Julia Doyle, Amy Haworth,
Kirsty Hopkins, Charlotte Mobbs, Olivia Robinson, Madeleine Shaw, Elin Manahan Thomas,
*Elizabeth Weisberg
David Bates, Frances Bourne, David Clegg, *Jamie Laing, Melanie Marshall, Ruth Massey, Joanna
Norman, Abigail Smetham, *Clare Wilkinson
*Ben Breakwell, Mark Dobell, *John Harte, Andrew Hewitt, Alex Jupp, Kevin Kyle, Tom Roach,
Christopher Watson, Simon Wall
Tom Blunt, *Julian Debreuil, Sam Evans, Christopher Gabbitas, Alastair Merry, Adrian Peacock,
Jonathan Saunders, Reuben Thomas, Stuart Young
Kyrie
Children:
Awake my soul, and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run;
Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
To pay thy morning sacrifice.
Gloria
Adults:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth,
Hosanna!
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Children, then adults and soloists:
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna!
4
Agnus Dei
Adults:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Children:
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life and bid thee feed,
By the stream and oer the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly bright;
9
Adults:
Miserere nobis.
5
Finale
Baritone soloist:
Lord, open thou mine eyes that I may see thee;
Lord, open thou my lips that I may praise thee;
Lord, open thou my heart that I may love thee,
Serve thee with joy, fear none above thee.
Christ be my sword and shield, my strong defender;
Christ be my light and my Redeemer.
Lord, be with me this day in each endeavour;
Lord, keep my soul with thee now and for ever.
(based on a prayer of Lancelot Andrewes, 15551626)
10
Adults:
Dona nobis pacem.
Soprano soloist:
Christ, be my guide today, my guide tomorrow;
Christ in my days of joy, my days of sorrow;
Christ in the silent hours when I lie sleeping,
Safe in his holy angels keeping.
Christ be within the hearts of all who love me;
Christ all around, and Christ above me.
Christ in my thought and prayer and my confessing;
Christ, when I go to rest, grant me your blessing.
(based on St Patricks Breastplate, a 5th-century prayer)
Adults:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Children (at the same time):
Glory to thee, my God, this night
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath thy own almighty wings.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him, all creatures here below,
Praise him above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
(Thomas Ken)
All:
Dona nobis pacem.
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13
A Clare Benediction
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12
I my Best-Beloveds am
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COLCD 129
STEREO DDD