Psalm 46 (L)
Choral level of difficulty: 4 (5 greatest)
This was a Leeds Festival Chorus commission in 2014 and premiered in Leeds Town Hall conducted by Simon Wright. The text is Psalm 45 in the Vulgate with the opening statement from that verse 1: ‘In finem, filiis Core, pro arcanis. Psalmus’. ‘Unto the end, for the sons of Korah, for confidents. A Psalm’. It is scored for up to eight voice parts (though there are only two short sections with all these voices parts singing) and organ.
Psalm 45 (God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble) is a wide-ranging text with plenty of opportunity for colour and drama. The waters roar, the heathen rage, the earth melted, and so on. MacMillan makes the most of all these descriptive passages which makes this an ideal short concert piece. There are dramatic unaccompanied sections followed by outburst from the organ and responding pianissimo choral sections almost shuddering in both fear and relief. The choral parts are not unduly difficult but the choir should be prepared to really enter into the drama of the piece. The organist should be highly competent.
Repertoire Note by Paul Spicer
