Padre Pio's Prayer

James MacMillan version of prayer attributed to Padre Pio (E)

Choral level of difficulty: Level 3 (5 greatest)

Not dissimilar to The Song of the Lamb in some respects, and of a similar level of challenge both for choir and organist. The deeply felt prayer is given subtle nuance with each new phrase as MacMillan mirrors Padre Pio’s nickname of ‘the patron saint of stress relief’ following his well-known advice to supplicants that they should ‘pray, hope and don’t worry’! Rather unusually MacMillan sometimes gives a phrase a character: ‘ecstatic’, ‘anxiously’, ‘playfully’, ‘gently’, ‘luminoso’ etc. A beautiful piece suitable for church or concert use.

Repertoire note by Paul Spicer