Verbum caro factum est (2009, rev. 2024)
A setting of Christmas Responsory: St John 1:14
SATB
Commissioned by Choir & Organ magazine
Duration:
6′
First performance:
9 May 2010
Temple Church Choir, James Vivian, Temple Church, London, UK. Performed as part of the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music 2010
German première:
21 January 2023
Sirventes Berlin, Stefan Schuck, Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz, Berlin, Germany
Score
Programme note
My setting of Verbum caro factum est takes the atmosphere and sense of anticipation in the Midnight Mass as the basis for a slow, reverential meditation on these profound words. The work is largely homophonic, ebbing and flowing with the rhythm of the text; more animated and strident sections are present, but soon dissolve into the tranquillo e sostenuto material. One major departure from the original text is the use of the macaronic form, where the original Latin words are combined with fragments of the same text in English translation. This way of approaching traditional texts is something that I have used in recent pieces and gives a fresh approach to well known texts. The English translation is only ever sung by two solo altos (which can be placed off stage) which contrast with the main choir who sing the Latin original.
PAC
