A BOY WAS BORN. Choral variations for unaccompanied SATB chorus with boys’ voices written by Benjamin Britten and dedicated to his father (op. 3, 1934; rev. 1955). The libretto comes from 10 poetic texts, mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries. Opening with a hymn-like theme “A Boy Was Born,” it is followed by six variations, including “Lullay Jesu,” based on a rocking figure of descending fifths sung initially by the two sopranos and later by other voices; “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti, sung by the upper voices against the boys’ choir singing the anonymous “Corpus Christi Carol”; and the Finale, an extended rondo that combines another anonymous carol “Noel Welcome Yule,” with “Christmas” by Thomas Tusser, and “A Christmas Carol” by Francis Quarles.
A COVENANT OF WONDERS: THE GIVING AND RECEIVING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. One-act music drama for narrator, soloists, and ensemble by Michael Isaacson to a libretto by Marcia Hain Engle (2002). Inspired by the biblical story of the Exodus, the Ten Commandments, and the Golden Calf, the work explores the emotional lives of the characters on their epic journey such as “Egyptian Chase,” “We’ve Crossed the Red Sea,” “Free Is Such a Scary Thing,” “Make Us a Golden Calf,” “Free Is Such an Awesome Thing,” and “Free Is Such a Wondrous Thing.” The audience participates in the drama by singing a song of thanksgiving, “To Reach This Day,” learned in a preperformance rehearsal.
A HUNDRED POUNDS OF CLAY. Hit song (1961) by Kay Roger, Luther Dixon, and Bob Elgin, performed by American singer/songwriter Gene McDaniels. It sold over 1 million copies. Inspired by the account of the creation of man from clay (Gen. 2:7), the chorus suggests that God created woman not from the rib of man (Gen. 2:21–22) but from a hundred pounds of clay. The songwriter gives thanks to God for creating woman who has brought a “lot of lovin’” and has made life “worth livin’.”
A NEW SONG. Anthem for SATB and organ by James MacMillan, commissioned by Nicholas Russell for the choir of St. Bride’s Episcopal Church, Glasgow (1997). Based on verses from Psalm 96, it is divided into three sections, the last section featuring a majestic postlude for organ expressing the grandeur and majesty of God’s reign on earth (v. 13).
A SAFE STRONGHOLD OUR GOD STILL IS. Hymn by Martin Luther. See EIN FEST’ BURG IST UNSER GOTT.
A SERMON, A NARRATIVE AND A PRAYER. Cantata for two soloists (AT), speaker, chorus, and orchestra by Stravinsky, dedicated to Paul Sacher (1961). Inspired by the story of the stoning of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and deacon, and considered Stravinsky’s New Testament equivalent to his Old Testament–inspired work Threni, it is noted for its serialism and use of canons. In three movements, the narrative of St. Stephen’s trial and stoning (Acts 6:8–7:59) is framed by a sermon (Rom. 8:24; Heb. 11:1; 12:2) and a prayer by the Elizabethan writer Thomas Dekker (1570–1631), beginning with “Oh My God, if it be thy pleasure to cut me off before night” and ending with a mournful Alleluia.
A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELLING. Christmas song inspired by Mt. 2:2–12 from the album Spanish Train and Other Stories by Chris de Burg (1976). The Star of Bethlehem is represented by the light of a spacecraft hovering over the stable and the Magi by an extraterrestrial being who sings a simple chorus that audiences generally sing in live performances and then carries the good news across the universe. In recent times, the song has been recorded by the German band Gregorian (2006) and in a live concert, “Believe,” described as “Riverdance for the Voice” by the Irish group Celtic Woman (2011).
A VIRGIN UNSPOTTED. Christmas carol by William Billings adapted from a 16th-century traditional English carol set to a new tune, “Judah,” and published in The Singing Master’s Assistant (Boston, 1778). The verses are sung in the tempo of a “sprightly dance,” and the refrain, scored in compound duple time, invites listeners to “be merry” and “put sorrow away.”
ABENDLIED. (“Evening Song”). One of three hymns (Drei Geistliche Gesänge) for SSATTB a cappella chorus by Josef Rheinberger (op. 69, no. 3, 1873) based on the disciples’ words to Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24:29). Hauntingly beautiful with contrapuntal and homophonic textures, the diminuendo at the end signifies the fading light at the end of the day. It has been arranged as an instrumental for cello ensemble and saxophone sextet.
ABIDE WITH ME. Most famous hymn of the Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte, published in The Spirit of the Psalms (1834) and usually sung to the tune Eventide by William H. Monk. It is based on Jesus’ appearance to the two disciples at Emmaus (Lk. 24:29) but also alludes to Paul’s teaching on the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:55). Said to have been a favorite of King George V and Mahatma Gandhi, it features in numerous films and popular music albums and is traditionally sung at funerals and various annual events, including the Football Association Cup Final at Wembley.
ABIMELECH. Oratorio in three acts by Samuel Arnold retelling the story of Gen. 20, where Abraham passed his wife off as his sister for fear of his life. It was first performed in the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, in 1768 and later in Covent Garden in 1772. The oratorio is set for the characters of Abraham, Sarah, King Abimelech, Chief Captain Phichol, Sarah’s handmaiden Hagar, and the queen of Gerar, and the chorus sings the parts of officers, soldiers, and other attendants. It concludes with a duet celebrating the blissful union of Abraham and Sarah and a grand chorus with Phichol and the soldiers, who invite the faithful to proclaim love and peace.
ABRAHAM. Oratorio in two parts for SATB soloists, chorus, and orchestra by Bernhard Molique (op. 65, 1860), inspired by events in the life of Abraham as told in Gen. 12–22, including his call, the Promises, Sodom and Gomorrah, the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, and the sacrifice of Isaac. The text of the meditative airs and choruses sung by the narrator, Abraham, Isaac, God, Hagar, and the chorus is taken from Pss. 23, 46, 51, 98, 114, and 149 and other biblical texts, including, Deuteronomy, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Revelation.
ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. Canticle by Benjamin Britten (1952), based on a 15th-century Chester mystery play (Gen. 22) and later incorporated into the Offertorium of his War Requiem. Scored for two solo voices, tenor (Abraham) and alto (Isaac), and the combined voices of alto and tenor (God), it retells the biblical story (Gen. 22) in a series of dialogues and one dramatic internal monologue sung by Abraham. Listeners gain an imaginative insight into Isaac’s character prior to and after the sacrifice as he pledges to become patriarch elect of Israel in the “Song of Obedience” at the end of the work. Britten employs a variety of musical rhetorical devices to sound paint the text, including rests to suggest fretting and sobbing, minor intervallic leaps to express pathos, and a contrasting use of major and minor tonalities to signify a character’s change of mood. The entire composition revolves around the interval of the tritone (E-flat–A) to represent the horrific nature of the sacrificial act demanded by God.
ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. Sacred ballad for baritone and chamber orchestra by Stravinsky (1963), commissioned by the Israel Festival Committee and dedicated to the people of the state of Israel, where it premiered in 1963. With no knowledge of Hebrew, Stravinsky sought the assistance of Sir Isaiah Berlin (1909–1997), who transliterated the Hebrew text into phonetic Russian to enable the composer to grasp its natural accents, stresses, and pronunciation. Melismas, ululations, and reiterated notes in the melodic line evoke the sound of Jewish chant, and while there is no overt dramatization of the text, changes of tessitura and dynamic markings distinguish the biblical characters, most notably a high tessitura for God and the angel, whose speeches are characterized by the repeated note C sharp.
ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. Folk song from the album Play Me Backwards (1992), cowritten by Jewish American folk artist Joan Baez and producer/songwriters Wally Wilson and Kenny Greenberg. Based on Gen. 22, the first stanza, sung a cappella and followed by a rhythmic berimbau accompaniment, captures Abraham’s loneliness and the chilling atmosphere of the unfolding story. The song tells how the angels, whose tears fell from heaven, failed to comprehend the ritual killing of the “righteous boy,” but concludes that Isaac’s memory will shine on “this mountain high and never never fade away.”
ABRAHAM: A CONCERTO FOR HOPE. Concerto for violin and orchestra by British composer Roxanna Panufnik, commissioned by the Savannah Music Group (Georgia, USA) and premiered in 2005. Based on the story of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 22:1–19), it incorporates Roman Catholic plainsong, Anglican bell patterns, an Ashkenazi chant, a Shofar horn, Sufi drum patterns, and elements from the traditional Islamic call to prayer. Later adapted as a short orchestral prelude entitled “Three Paths to Peace,” it was performed by the World Orchestra for Peace in Jerusalem in 2008.
ABRAHAM JOURNEYED TO A NEW COUNTRY. A hymn, sung to the tune “Bunessan” (“Morning Has Broken”), written for immigrants by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. It is inspired by words from Gen. 12; Ruth; Mt. 2:13–16; 10:40; 25:31–46; Heb. 11:13–19; and Lev. 19:18, 33–34.
ABRAHAM’S DAUGHTER. Sound track for blockbuster teen movie The Hunger Games by Arcade (2012). The story of the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen. 22) is told from the perspective of Abraham’s daughter, a nonbiblical character invented by the songwriter, who secretly followed her father and brother up a “lonesome hill” and raised her bow in an attempt to save Isaac’s life. In binary form (AB), the chilling narration, sung by a plaintive female voice and scored mostly in crotchets in the A section, expresses the horror of the story.
ABRAM IN EGYPT. Cantata for baritone solo, chorus, and orchestra by American composer Elinor Remick Warren, commissioned by Chicago baritone and music patron Louis Sudler and premiered in its orchestral form at the Los Angeles Music Festival on 7 June 1961. Cast in a neoromantic style, the composer compiled the libretto from texts from the Bible (Gen. 12:10–17; 13:14) and the Dead Sea Scrolls (Gen. Apocryphon 19–20). The story of Sarah’s abduction by Pharaoh Zoan, king of Egypt, is told in the first person by Abram (Bar), as in the Dead Sea Scrolls text, and narrated by the chorus who sings Pharaoh’s words to Abram.
ABRAMO ED ISACCO. (“Abraham and Isaac”). Oratorio volgare by Josef Mysliveček (1776), misattributed for a time by musicologists to Mozart despite the fact that Mozart himself attended a performance in Munich and told his father in a letter that “all Munich” was talking about it. The libretto, known throughout the Holy Roman Empire and beyond as Isacco figura del Redentore (“Isaac figure of the Redeemer”), is by the renowned Habsburg court poet Pietro Metastasio. As well as numerous biblical references (e.g., Gen. 12:1–3; 15:4–18; 17:1–8; 22:1–18; Lam. 1:1–2, 17; 5:15; Prov. 1:7; Jn. 8:56; 14:1, 18, 27–28; 20:26; Heb. 6:13, 17), Metastasio included references to the church fathers and in the spirit of the Counter-Reformation interpreted Gen. 22 typologically. Thus, Isaac is a type of Christ, Sarah a type of Mary, Abraham a type of God the Father, Isaac’s friend Gamari a type of John, the beloved disciple, the shepherd’s types of the other disciples, and the Abrahamic family as a whole a type of the Holy Family, who consented to the sacrifice but did not want the beloved son to die. Sarah plays a pivotal role by reenacting, like Mary (Lk. 2:35), the details of the sacrifice in her imagination. Composed in the style gallant, the entire oratorio is set in the major tonality to highlight the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New, with the exception of two passages expressing the emotional pain of Abraham and Sarah. The beginning and the end of the oratorio are set in C major to symbolize Christ as the Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13). See also ABRAHAM AND ISAAC; SACRIFICE OF ISAAC; SACRIFICIUM ABRAHAE.
ABSALOM FILI MI. (“Absalom My Son”). Motet for four voices (SSAT) attributed to Josquin des Prez although ascribed to Pierre de la Rue, commemorating the death of Giovanni Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI (1497). Inspired by David’s lament for his son Absalom (2 Sam. 18:33) and texts from Job and Genesis, it is scored in imitative counterpoint with repetitions and melismas on “Absalom fili mi,” punctuated by quis det ut moriar pro te (“would that I could die for you”) with melismas on pro te. David’s lamentations are compared to those of Job (non vivam ultra [“let me live no longer”]) (Job 7:16) and Jacob (sed descendam in infernum plorans [“but I shall descend into hell, weeping”]) (Gen. 37:35), with descending melismas on descendam and infernum. There is also a cantata by Heinrich Schütz based on this text, published in Symphonae sacrae 1 (SWV 269, 1629).
AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE. Song composed by Harold Arlen to lyrics by Johnny Mercer and first performed in 1944 by Mercer with the Pied Pipers and Paul Weston’s orchestra. It was inspired by the stories of Jonah (Jonah) and Noah (Gen. 6:11–14), interpreted as characters who accentuated the positive during times of adversity. Subsequent performances include those by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, Dolly Mitchell, Artie Shaw, Johnny Green and Connie Francis, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, and, more recently, Paul McCartney on the album Kisses on the Bottom (2012). It has appeared in the movies Here Come the Waves (1944) starring Bing Crosby, Bugsy (1991), and The Mighty Ducks (1992).
ACHTLIEDERBUCH. (“Hymnal of Eight”). Oldest Lutheran hymnal compiled and published by Jobst Gutknecht in Nuremberg (Wittenburg, 1524), it comprises eight hymns, four of which were composed by Luther, three by Paul Speratus, and one by an unnamed composer (later attributed to Justus Jonas). Hymns written by Luther are Nun Freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein (“Dear Christians, Let us Now Rejoice”) (Rom. 7:7–24), Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein (“Oh God, look down from heaven”) (Ps. 12), Es spricht der Unweisen Mund (“Although the fools Say with their Mouth”) (Ps. 14), and Aus Tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (“From deep affliction I cry out to you”) (Ps. 130).
ACHTUNG BABY. Seventh studio album by U2 published in 1992. Songs with allusions to biblical themes include “The Fly” (Lk. 10:18), “Until the End of the World,” and “She Moves in Mysterious Ways,” which is accompanied by a video showing distorted images of Bono and a Moroccan belly dancer, referring to Salome’s dance before Herod (Mk. 6:21–29; Mt. 14:6–11).
ACTES OF THE APOSTLES, THE. Fourteen songs in four parts (1553) based on Acts 1–14. It is the only published work of Christopher Tye and dedicated to King Edward VI. Sung in the manner of a hymn to lute accompaniment, it was intended for performance at home rather than at church. The music of two compositions derives from it: the a cappella anthem “O come ye servants of the Lord” (Acts 4) and the hymn tune “Winchester Old,” similar to the Christmas carol “While shepherds watched their flocks by night,” published in Este’s Psalter The Whole Book of Psalmes (1592).
ADAM AND EVE. Reggae song by Rastafarian Bob Marley from the album The Very Best of Bob Marley: 25 Classic Songs (2011). Inspired by the story of Adam and Eve from Gen. 3:1–6, it identifies the woman as the root of all evil and blames her for humanity’s sinfulness.
ADAM AND EVIL. Song from the musical film and comedy Spinout (1966), later recorded on an album with the same name, sung by Elvis Presley to words and music by Fred Wise and Randy Starr. Based on Gen. 3, the music sets the mood with a drum roll (“every time you kiss me, my heart pounds like a drum”), followed by a saxophone melody evoking the sound and image of an oriental snake charmer, though there’s no explicit mention of the serpent. The song portrays Eve as the temptress, called “Evil” and the “Devil,” and Adam as too ready to give in to her.
ADAM LAY Y BOUNDEN. An anonymous 15th-century English carol in four verses portraying Adam in limbo for 4,000 years for “an apple that he took” (Gen. 3) and humanity’s redemption, which would not have been possible if it had not been for the apple. The final verse is a call to thank God for that blessed sin (Thomas Aquinas’s felix culpa). It became popular in England after a setting by Boris Ord was performed at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. Other notable settings include those by Peter Warlock, John Ireland, and Benjamin Britten as “Deo Gracias” in his Ceremony of Carols.
ADAM RAISED A CAIN. Song by Bruce Springsteen from the album Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978), digitally remastered as part of a boxed set in 2010. A play on the words “Cain” and “cane” in the song’s title and the chorus suggests that Cain suffered corporal punishment at his father’s hands and was a victim of violent outbursts of rage. The song points to this experience, along with Adam’s absence from home because of heavy work commitments (Gen. 3:17), as possible explanations of Cain’s subsequent murder of his brother Abel (Gen. 4:8). Springsteen’s emotive rock-and-roll performance highlights the violence of Cain’s childhood and perhaps also of his own.
ADAM’S RIB. Fanfare for brass quintet (1995) by Scottish composer James MacMillan, commissioned for the ceremonial opening of the first session of the modern Scottish Parliament in 1999. The title draws an analogy between the story of the woman’s creation from Adam’s rib (Gen. 2:21–23) and the rebirth of the Scottish Parliament out of the British Parliament in Westminster. Based on a melodic fragment from his opera The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (1990), the fanfare begins quietly from low pedal tones on the tuba to signify God’s creative act (Gen. 2:21) and gradually crescendos with a fanfare to announce the birth of the woman (Gen. 2:22–23). The piece ends in the same quiet manner as it began, this time with a barely audible melody played on a muted trumpet. A song by the same title was written by English folk artist Ian Campbell and performed by the Ian Campbell Folk Group and the songwriter’s sister, Lorna Campbell, on the album Adam’s Rib (1976). It was also the title of a movie (1949) starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn with music by Miklós Rózsa and Cole Porter.
ADESTE FIDELES. Well-known Latin Christmas carol, attributed to John Francis Wade, first published in his Cantus Diversi pro Dominicis et Festis (1751), and translated into English by Frederick Oakeley as “O Come All Ye Faithful” (1841). It celebrates the Incarnation as much as the Nativity with references to the Nicene Creed and the “Word made flesh” (Jn. 1:14) as well as the angel’s chorus (Lk. 2:14).
AFRICA UNITE. Song by reggae singer/songwriter Bob Marley from the album Survival (1979) performed by Marley and the Wailers. It is inspired by Ps. 133 and calls for the unification of Africa (“How good and pleasant it would be before God and man, yeah, to see the unification of all Africans!”) and Africa’s liberation from the control of Babylon (Western governments) and a return to Zion (a united Africa). See also HINNE MA TOV.
AGAR ET ISMAELE ESILIATI. (“Hagar and Ishmael in Exile”). Oratorio in two parts for five soloists (SSSAB), mixed chorus, string orchestra, and continuo by Alessandro Scarlatti (1683). Based on a libretto adapted by Giuseppe Domenico de Totis, it retells the story of the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael by Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 21). Operatic in form and style, it comprises duets, a trio, recitatives semplice, and arias that focus on interactions between the four characters along with the angel who intervenes to save the lives of Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. See also HAGAR IN THE WILDERNESS; HAGAR’S LAMENT.
AGNUS DEI. (“Lamb of God”). There are numerous musical settings of this prayer from the Mass Ordinary in plainchant, polyphony, and settings by composers from every period in the history of music. The text comes from Jn. 1:29, where it is addressed to Jesus by John the Baptist. One of the best-known settings is that of Samuel Barber for eight-part a cappella chorus (1967), originally the second movement of his highly successful String Quartet op. 11 (1936) and described as the saddest music ever composed (BBC Radio 4 online survey, 2007). The arch form of the composition, with its melodic chant rising in stepwise movement to an impassioned fortissimo climax, is made all the more dramatic by a silence that follows, surely denoting the sacrificial death of Christ the Lamb, while the prayer for mercy Dona Nobis Pacem (“Grant Us Peace”) seemingly fades away to another realm. It features in a number of movies dealing with the themes of war, sacrifice, suffering, and death, including The Elephant Man (1980), El Norte (1983), Platoon (1986), Lorenzo’s Oil (1992), Les Roseaux sauvages (1994), Crime of the Century (1996), Amélie (2001), and S1mOne (2002). It accompanied the radio announcement of the death of President Roosevelt (1945) and has been played at numerous funeral services of dignitaries and royalty and memorial services, most notably those commemorating the victims of 9/11. See also CHRISTE, DU LAMM GOTTES; LAMB OF GOD, THE.
AGNUS DEI. (“Lamb of God”). Mass setting for 60 individual voice parts by Alessandro Striggio. The voices enter one by one in imitative counterpoint and form an impressive climax with all 60 voices singing together for the remainder of the work. Grouped together in five separate choirs, the surround-sound effect appeals to Christ the Lamb of God for mercy (Jn. 1:29). It was influenced by Striggio’s 40-part motet Ecce beatam lucem (1566) and features as the largest-known polyphonic work of the Renaissance.
AGNUS DEI. (“Lamb of God”). The fifth movement of Fauré’s Requiem in D Minor for chorus, soloists, orchestra, and organ (op. 48, 1887–1890). It begins with an orchestral introduction in F major, featuring a delightful theme in triple meter played by the violas. The Agnus Dei is repeated three times, by the tenors, the chorus (sung with greater intensity and dynamic contrast), and the tenors again, with a recurrence of the viola theme this time on the organ. The reference to Dona eis requiem (“Give them rest”) is surely a reference to Fauré’s parents, who died in 1885 and 1886 shortly before the composition of the requiem.
AGNUS DEI. (“Lamb of God”). The final movement of Mozart’s unfinished Requiem in D Minor (K. 626) written by Mozart’s friend and student Franz Xavier Süssmayr after the composer’s death. It is not known whether Mozart left instructions or sketches for him to work on. Scored in triple meter, there is a marked contrast between the Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi (“Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”), sung fortissimo and in homophony, and the sublime prayer of supplication dona eis requiem (“give them rest”). The Agnus Dei is accompanied by the funereal sound of the timpani and woodwind punctuating every phrase in the first rendition and the strings’ foreboding melody in all three repetitions, while Dona eis pacem, introduced first by the basses, then sopranos, and finally the basses, is sung pianissimo and accompanied by the heavenly sound of strings. Carl Czerny composed a four-hand piano accompaniment for this setting.
AHAB. Oratorio for six soloists, chorus, and orchestra by George Benjamin Arnold to a libretto by F. H. Arnold, first performed by the National Choral Society, Exeter Hall, London, in 1864. Based on the story of Elijah and Naboth’s vineyard, the death of Jezebel, and the defeat of Ahab at Ramoth Gilead (1 Kgs. 21–22), the words sung by the various characters and the chorus representing “Believers,” the Elders, and the People, are taken from the Psalms; Exod. 15:11; Lev. 25:23; 1 Chron. 16:11, 12, 14, 26–29, 36; 2 Chron. 6:30; Job 7:1, 9; 34:15; Song of Solomon (Cant. 3:1–4); Lam. 5:19; Ezek. 46:18; and Ecclesiasticus (Sir. 34:13, 16, 17). There are instrumental quintets, including an overture at the beginning of part 1, an instrumental introduction in part 2, and a “War March” before the battle.
ALABASTER BOX. Gospel song and album, written by Janice Sjostrand and performed by award-winning gospel singer CeCe Winans (1999). Inspired by the story in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 26:6–13), the chorus and second stanza are sung in first-person narration by the believer, who, like Mary, pours her praise on Christ like oil “from Mary’s alabaster box.”
ALEXANDER BALUS. Oratorio in three acts for soloists, chorus, and orchestra by Handel, with a libretto by Thomas Morell (HWV 65, 1747). Based on 1 Macc. 10–11, it tells the story of the involvement of High Priest Jonathan the Maccabee, chief of the Jews, in the wars between Alexander Balus, King of Syria (Mez), and Ptolomee, king of Egypt (B). Act 2 ends with Alexander’s wedding to the Egyptian king’s daughter Cleopatra (S), comprising a duet sung by the newlyweds (“Hail Wedded Love”) and two Wedding Choruses (“Triumph, Hymen, in the Pair” [added 1754] and “Hymen, Fair Urania’s Son”). Act 3 turns to Ptolomee’s devious attempt to acquire Alexander’s kingdom and the abduction of Cleopatra by some ruffians during her aria “Here amid the shady woods.” When news of the war between Alexander and Ptolomee and their subsequent deaths reaches Cleopatra, she sings a moving lament in the accompagnato “Calm thou my Soul” and the air “Convey me to some peaceful shore.” The work concludes with an upbeat chorus sung by Jonathan and a chorus of Israelites praising God with exuberant alleluias and amens.
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER. Song by Bob Dylan from the album John Wesley Harding (1967), inspired by Isaiah’s mysterious vision of the “wilderness of the sea” (Isa. 21:1–9) and described as “the first biblical rock album.” Written while Dylan was convalescing after a motorcycle accident, it was later famously covered by Jimi Hendrix on the album Electric Ladyland (1968), which replaced Dylan’s original as the definitive version.
ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING. English version by W. H. Draper of St. Francis’s “Canticle of the Creatures,” known also as “The Canticle of Brother Sun,” inspired by Ps. 148 and composed shortly before his death in 1226. Sung to the German hymn tune Lasst uns erfreuen (1623), it first appeared in the Public School Hymn Book (1919), later harmonized by Vaughan Williams in the English Hymnal (rev. ed. 1933).
ALL GLORY, LAUD AND HONOR. Processional hymn celebrating Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:9), originally written in Latin (Gloria, laus et honor) by the ninth-century bishop of Orleans, St. Theodulph, and translated into English by John Mason Neale. Sung to the tune Valet will ich dir geben by Melchior Teschner (1613), it features in two chorale preludes by Bach (BWV 735 and BWV 736) as well as in his Cantata no. 3, Christus, der ist mein Leben (BWV 95), and the St. John Passion.
ALL MY HOPE ON GOD IS FOUNDED. Well-known hymn originally written in German by Joachim Neander (1680) and sung to the chorale tune Meine Hoffnung (“My hope”) and later translated into English by Robert Bridges (1899). It was set to the tune Michael written by Herbert Howells in memory of his son and first performed in the chapel at Charterhouse school (1930). First published in The Clarendon Hymn Book (1936), it gained popularity following its inclusion in the Church of England’s “100 Hymns for Today” supplement to Hymns Ancient and Modern (1969) and the Methodist hymnal Hymns and Psalms (1983). It was arranged with descant for mixed choir and congregation with organ accompaniment by John Rutter (1980).
ALL PEOPLE CLAP YOUR HANDS. Anthem for five-part chorus (SAATB) by Thomas Weelkes based on Ps. 47. Verse 5 is sung to an ascending melody line (“God is gone up”), and an ascending and descending leap of a perfect fourth/fifth depicts the sound of the trumpet (Ps. 47:5). The work ends with a seven-measure Amen. In recent times, this text has been set as a rap with parts for horn by Christian music artist Timothy Smith.
ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL. Anglican hymn written by Christina Rossetti, first published in Hymns for Little Children (1848) to the 17th-century melody “Royal Oak,” adapted by Martin Shaw, and to a more popular tune by William Henry Monk. The song, based on the second article of the Apostles’ Creed, “God the Father maker of heaven and earth,” is inspired by the creation story from Gen. 1:1–2:3. In recent times, a version by John Rutter for mixed voices (SATB) and piano accompaniment has been popularized by British choirboy Thomas Gesty (BBC Radio 2 Choirboy of the Year in 2004) and Libera on the album Angel Voices 2 (1996).
ALL WOMEN ARE BAD. Song by the Cramps from the albums Bad Music for Bad People (1984) and Stay Sick! (1990). Based on the stories of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3) and Samson and Delilah (Judg. 16), each verse imagines a dialogue in which the woman’s ulterior motive is followed by her partner’s derisive response. The chorus, sung first by Adam and then by Samson, describes all women as “bad,” as a type of devil with “groovy wiggly tails” and “horns on their heads” and as “a wolf dressed up like sheep.”
ALL YOU ZOMBIES. Song written by Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian from the Hooters, originally released as a single and included on their albums Amore (1983) and Nervous Night (1985). Based on the stories of Noah’s Ark (Gen. 6–7), Moses before Pharaoh (Exod. 4:27–6:11), the Golden Calf, and Moses breaking the Tablets of the Law (Exod. 32), the catchy chorus condemns all idol worshippers, including Egyptians, Israelites, the people who derided Noah, and unbelievers today. Written in D minor, the blend of ska, reggae, and rock and roll produces a haunting, almost hypnotic effect that stays in listeners’ memories long after the performance.
ALLELUIA. Motet composed in 1940 for SATB a cappella chorus by Randall Thompson that became one of the most popular choral compositions in the United States. It was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky, director of the Tanglewood Festival, who requested a choral “fanfare” for the opening of the new Berkshire Music Centre. But with the outbreak of World War II, Thompson felt it was inappropriate to compose joyful and triumphant music, and the subdued mood and slow tempo of this hauntingly beautiful setting were inspired by Job 1:21. Apart from a final Amen, the six-minute setting is based entirely on the word Alleluia (cf. Rev. 19:1, 3–6), its four syllables stressed through a variety of devices combining rhythmic emphasis, melodic interest, and vocal part arrangement. In 2012, another American composer, Eric Whitacre, composed a nine-minute Alleluia for SATB a cappella chorus on the album Water Night. See also HALLELUJAH.
ALSO HAT GOTT DIE WELT GELIEBT. (“God So Loved the World”). Cantata by J. S. Bach composed for the second day of Pentecost on 21 May 1725 (BWV 68). The libretto, inspired by the Epistle and Gospel readings for the day (Acts 10:42–48; Jn. 3:16–21), is by the poet Christiana Mariana von Ziegler. Scored for SATB chorus, soprano and bass soloists, and orchestra and continuo, the work is in five movements, beginning unusually with the first stanza of a hymn and concluding with a magnificent chorus, a double fugue, on two contrasting themes: “He who believes will not be judged” and “Who does not believe is already judged.”
AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. Christmas opera for children in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti (1951), commissioned by NBC and first performed by the NBC Opera Theatre on 24 December 1951. Inspired by the story of the Adoration of the Magi (Mt. 2:1–12), it tells of their stopover at the home of Amahl, a shepherd boy (Tr), and his widowed mother (S) (“Have you seen a child?”). Later, when the three kings are asleep, Amahl’s mother attempts to steal the gold (“All that gold”) but is intercepted by the kings, who tell her the king they are seeking does not need gold but will establish a kingdom based on love (“O woman, you may keep the gold”). When Amahl offers his crutch as a gift for the Christ child, his crippled legs are miraculously healed (“I walk Mother”), and the work concludes with Amahl leaving with the kings to visit the Christ child in Bethlehem.
AMAZING GRACE. The most famous of John Newton’s compositions, published in Olney Hymns (1779) and popularized in a Mahalia Jackson version (1947); several films, including Alice’s Restaurant (1969); and an arrangement for bagpipes. It is based on 1 Chron. 17:16–17 with allusions to Lk. 15:24 and Jn. 9:25.
AMEN. Song based on the spiritual of the same name, arranged by African American singer, songwriter, actor, and choral director Jester Hairston for the film Lilies of the Field (1963). The song telling of the life of Jesus is sung by a soloist alongside a chorus singing the ever-popular Amens from the spiritual. It was a hit for the Impressions in 1963.
AMNON UND TAMAR. Chamber opera in one act by Israeli composer Josef Tal for mezzo-soprano (Tamar), tenor (Amnon), bass-baritone (Absalom), bass (Jonadab), male chorus (Slaves and Shepherds), and orchestra, premiered in Jerusalem in 1961. Based on 2 Sam. 13, the libretto is by Recha Freier, translated into English by Rahel Vernon. The work was inspired by Professor Hermann Scherchen, who asked the composer to compose a short opera, not exceeding 20 minutes, for four soloists, a small chorus, and an orchestra limited to 15 players. Unlike Tal’s earlier avant-garde electronic and atonal operas, this one ends in a typically dramatic fashion with the death of Amnon.
AND ONE OF THE PHARISEES. Work for three a cappella voices or three-part choir by Arvo Pärt (1992), based on the story of Simon the Pharisee (Lk. 7:36–50). Singing in the manner of Gregorian chant, the biblical narrator (CtTB) introduces the dialogue between Simon (Ct) and Jesus (T). Dissonances prevail throughout, in particular in the internal monologue of those sitting at the table (CtTB) saying, “Who is this that forgiveth sins also?,” and the work ends with a unison chant, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”
AND WHEN THE BUILDERS. Anthem for mixed choir and organ by Edmund Rubbra, dedicated to the provost and fellows of Worcester College, Oxford, on the occasion of its 250th anniversary (1964). Inspired by Ezra 3:10–13, a sustained pedal note in the organ accompaniment suggests the foundation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, trumpets and cymbals represent the celebrations of the priests and Levites, and the choir sings in unison, “praising and giving thanks to the Lord . . . because the foundations of the house of the Lord were laid.” The work concludes with a lament in which soprano and alto voices sing “aah” to represent the cries of those who remembered the first Temple, but these are concealed by tenors and basses representing the people who “shout aloud with joy.”
ANGELUS AD VIRGINEM. (“The Angel to the Virgin,” also known as “Gabriel from Heven-King/Sent to the Maide Sweete”). Medieval song of French or English origin that enjoyed widespread popularity in the Middle Ages. It is sung by Nicholas to the accompaniment of a psaltery in Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale. A version in three-part fauxbourdon is preserved in the “Dublin Troper” manuscript (1361) in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. It begins with a dialogue between the Virgin Mary and the angel Gabriel (vv. 1–3) and then looks forward to Christ’s crucifixion (v. 4) and the salvation of humanity (v. 5). It was arranged as a cheerful Advent carol for choir and organ by David Willcocks.
ANTIKRIST. Mystery opera in two acts by Rued Langgaard (BVN 170, 1921–1923; rev. 1926–1930). Subtitled “Church Opera” and “Judgement Day Scenes,” the work is based on verses from the Letters of John (1 Jn. 2:18, 4:2; 2 Jn. 7) and the image of the Antichrist in Rev. 13. The language of the opera, set “in the time around World War I,” is obscure to express the uncertain, decadent mood of the Antichrist period, and the musical style was influenced by Wagner, Strauss, Schoenberg, and Korngold. The five names for Christ corresponding to five names for the Antichrist appear together on the score at the beginning of the relevant scene, each supported by biblical quotations. Scene 6 features the destruction of the Antichrist and ends with the moral: “Only God has the power to give man peace, harmony and insight.”
APOCALISSE. (“Apocalypse”). Symphonic poem for orchestra by Gian Carlo Menotti (1951–1952) commissioned by the conductor Victor de Sabata. A synthesis of the vast corpus of Jewish and Christian writing on the Apocalypse, it is in three movements. Movement 1, Improperia, features a trumpet fanfare repeated throughout the movement to represent the seven trumpets sounded by the seven angels (Rev. 8–11). The title comes from the Reproaches (improperia) in the Good Friday liturgy. Movement 2, La città celeste, is based on a recurring circular musical theme suggesting “the celestial city” suspended in midair (Rev. 21). Movement 3, Gli angeli militanti (“The angels of war”), repeats the trumpet fanfares from movement 1 and celebrates the victory of the triumphant angels in their war against Satan (Rev. 12:7–9).
APOCALYPSE, THE. Dramatic oratorio composed by Paola Gallico in the aftermath of World War I (1920) to texts in English taken from Daniel and Revelation and arranged by Pauline Arnoux MacArthur and Henri Pierre Roché. The prologue, “Belshazzar’s Feast,” features a bacchanal dance for male voices, scored in triple meter and featuring trills in the upper registers of instruments, and soloists representing the spirits of Drunkenness, Gluttony, and Idolatry. It ends with the chorus singing in homophony the mysterious words written on the wall: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” (Dan. 5:25). Part 1 describes war since the murder of Abel by Cain (Gen. 4:8) and despite the cries of the chorus for peace (Lk. 2:14), and a lone soprano voice (“Where is the good will of men?”), the seven bowls of God’s wrath (Rev. 16:1–26), and the gathering of the multitude in Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). In part 2, the role of “Babylon . . . mother of harlots and of earth’s abominations” (Rev. 17:1–6) is sung by a soprano in first-person narration. The final movement, “The Millennium,” is composed of many well-known texts about the Second Coming of Christ, including “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1), sung by a heavenly chorus of boys, a tenor solo with descending quintuplets in the accompaniment to paint the movement of “the water of life” (Rev. 22:1, 17), and a choral fugue proclaiming the joyful news of the reign of the Lord God omnipotent (Rev. 19:6, KJV). The work concludes with a blessing sung by the baritone (“The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all”) and a choral Amen (Rev. 22:21; also 2 Thess. 3:18; Rom. 16:24; Phil. 4:23).
APOSTLES, THE. Oratorio in two parts by Elgar, scored for six soloists, double chorus, orchestra, and organ, with the addition of a shofar or flugelhorn (op. 49, 1903), first performed on 14 October 1903 at the Birmingham Triennial Festival. Based on biblical texts selected and arranged by Elgar and built around a number of recurring leitmotifs, such as “Christ the Man of Sorrows,” it tells the story of Jesus’ ministry, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension from the perspective of the apostles, including Peter (B), Judas (B), and Mary Magdalene (A), identified as the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Lk. 7:36–50). After a prologue based on Isa. 61:1–3 (cf. Lk. 4:18), the first section, “The Calling of the Apostles,” begins at night with “The Voice of thy Watchmen” (Isa. 52:9), an aria sung by the angel Gabriel (S), and “The Dawn” is heralded by a rising sixth on the shofar and the chorus “Morning Psalm (within the Temple)” (Ps. 92:1–12) to the accompaniment of traditional Hebrew melodies. In the second section, “By the Wayside,” Jesus (Bar) intones the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3–12) with comments from Peter, John, Judas, Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary, and the chorus. Section 3, “By the Sea of Galilee,” tells of Mary Magdalene’s conversion and the miracle of Jesus walking on water, ending in Caesarea Philippi with Jesus’ words to Peter “Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church” (Mt. 16:13–20) and an aria by Mary Magdalene, “Thy face O Lord, will I seek” (Ps. 27:8). Part 2 begins with 4, “The Betrayal of Jesus,” focusing on Judas and Peter and ending with the chorus “He went out and wept bitterly”; 5, “Golgotha,” depicts the scene of the Crucifixion, followed by 6, “At the Sepulchre,” in which a narrator tells the story of the Resurrection; and finally, 7, “The Ascension,” is scored for the full forces of soloists, chorus, and orchestra.
AQUARIUS. Opera in two acts and eight languages for 16 soloists (eight sopranos and eight baritones), orchestra, and ballet dancers by Karel Goeyvaerts (1983–1992). Inspired by a number of sources, including Rev. 21–22, it was regarded by the composer as “a drama of society, which traces humanity’s search for a more harmonious society in the Age of Aquarius.” In the final scene, this search leads to the Holy City, a place of peace and radiant harmony.
ARIEL: VISIONS OF ISAIAH. Cantata in six movements for soprano, baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Robert Starer (1959). The words are from the Book of Isaiah, beginning with his prophecies of judgment on sinful Jerusalem (“Woe to Ariel”) (Isa. 29:1–4; 1:4, 7) and the wantonness of “The Daughters of Zion” (Isa. 3:16–24), described in a flighty scherzo (movement 3). In the fourth movement, the male-voice chorus “Fear and the Pit, and the Snare” (Isa. 24:17) is followed by a soprano lament (Isa. 22:4–5) and the chorus singing in upbeat fashion, “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die” (Isa. 22:13). The fifth movement for small-chorus a cappella is meditative, beginning, “The Lord shall give thee rest” (Isa. 14:3), and ending in unison, “The Lord will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isa. 25:8). The final movement for orchestra and chorus (“Break forth into joy”) (Isa. 52:9) celebrates the restoration of Jerusalem (“Awake, awake, stand up O Jerusalem”) (Isa. 51:17) and concludes with the words “Let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isa. 2:5). Special effects include the chorus whispering, “and their speech shall whisper out of the dust” (Isa. 29:4), and the baritone’s announcement in Sprechstimme, “Behold joy and gladness, eating flesh and drinking wine” (Isa. 29:15). Other musical interpretations of the Book of Isaiah include the oratorio Das Gesicht Jesajas (“The Face of Isaiah”) by Willy Burkhard (1936). See ISAIAH’S PROPHECY
ASCENSION ORATORIO, THE. (Himmelfahrts-Oratorium/Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen). Oratorio (1735) in two parts for SATB soloists, SATB chorus, orchestra, and continuo by J. S. Bach (BWV 11), first performed in Leipzig at the Feast of the Ascension in 1735. By an unknown librettist inspired by the readings for the day (Acts 1:1–11; Mk. 16:14–20), the work contrasts Christ’s Ascension into heaven with the intense suffering and loss of three unnamed characters living on earth (SAB). A tenor voice narrates text based on Mk. 16:19, Lk. 24:50–2, and Acts 1:9–12 in recitative secco, while the alto aria Ach bleibe doch, mein liebstes Leben (“Ah stay, my dearest life”), which uses almost the same music as the Agnus Dei in Bach’s B Minor Mass, imagines the words and sentiments of Mary Magdalene. The juxtaposition of ascending and descending motifs contrasts the joyful ascension (Wenn soll es doch geschehen [“When shall it happen”]) with the sorrowful lamentations of Christ’s followers (Ach, Jesu, ist dein Abschied [“Ah Jesus, is your farewell so near”]). The soprano’s aria in G major at the end, Jesu, deine Gnadenblicke (“Jesus, your merciful gaze”), illustrates musically Christ’s departure from the earth through the absence of a continuo part, symbolizing the earth, and the high tessitura of flutes, oboes, and strings, symbolizing the heavens. There are two chorales based on Ascension hymns: Nun lieget alles unter dir (“Now everything is subject to you”) from the fourth verse of Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ (“Lord Jesus Christ, you prince of life”) by Johann Rist (1641) and Wenn soll es doch geschehen (“When shall it happen?”) based on the seventh verse of the hymn Gott fähret auf den Himmel (“God ascends into heaven”) by Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer (1697), which provides the triumphant finale of the oratorio.
ASCRIBE UNTO THE LORD. Verse anthem by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, believed to have been written for the Church Missionary Society’s annual service in Winchester Cathedral (1853). Based on verses from Pss. 96 and 115, the opening chorus for full choir (Ps. 96:7–8) is followed by a setting for women’s voices (SSAA) of the words “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 96:9) and a chorus, beginning with a lively fugue, ridiculing idols who “have mouths but do not speak” (Ps. 115:3–8). The final chorus (“The Lord hath been mindful of us”) ends fortissimo with “Ye are the blessed of the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 115:12–15).
ATHALIA. English oratorio in three acts by Handel (HWV 52) to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys, commissioned for the Encaenia ceremonies in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, England, in 1733. Based on Racine’s tragedy Athalie (1691), it tells the story of Athalia (S), who ordered the murder of all the males of the royal household, and her grandson Joash (Tr), who escaped and remained hidden in the Temple for six years (2 Kgs. 11:1–3). The well-known arioso “My Vengeance Awakes Me” is sung by Athaliah’s mother (Jezebel) in a dream in which she foretells her daughter’s death (cf. 2 Kgs. 9:10, 30–37). The oratorio concludes with the brutal death of Athaliah, treated offstage, followed by a duet, “Joys in gentle trains,” sung by Joad, the high priest (Jehoiada) (Ct), and Josabeth (S) and a chorus of Israelites praising God’s name. From the 16th century, the figure of Jezebel, the false prophetess who led believers astray (Rev. 2:20), was understood to represent the Catholic Church. Mendelssohn also composed a work based on this narrative, Athalie: Incidental Music to Racine’s Play (op. 74, 1845), scored for three soloists, chorus, orchestra, and two orators, which includes the well-known instrumental Kriegsmarch der Priester (“War March of the Priests”).
AUDIVI VOCEM DE CAELO. (“I Heard a Voice from Heaven”). A respond for matins on the Feast of All Saints’ Day inspired by the Gospel reading for the day (Mt. 25:1–13), set as a motet by Thomas Tallis, Willam Byrd, and others. The Tallis motet for four-part a cappella chorus opens with imitative polyphony on audivi (“I heard”) (Rev. 14:13), followed by plainchant on vocem de caelo (“a voice from heaven”) and in the speech of the foolish virgins (Mt. 25:6) and then a return to imitative polyphony for the announcement of the arrival of the Bridegroom (Mt. 25:10). It concludes with a reiteration of the plainchant section with a warning to all who hear to keep oil in their lamps.
AUS DEN PSALMEN DAVIDS. (“From the Psalms of David”). Choral suite in four parts for mixed chorus (SATB), two pianos, percussion, double bass, and harp by Penderecki (1958). Based on the first verses of Pss. 28:1, 30:1, 43:1–2, and 143:1 in a Polish translation by Jan Kochanowski (1579), the work expresses the feelings conveyed by the Psalms; for example, whispered choral fragments represent the cry of the people (Ps. 28:1), and a steady crescendo depicts the people’s anguished invocation (Ps. 143:1).
AUS DER TIEFEN RUFE ICH. (“Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee”). Cantata for SATB soloists, SATB chorus, violin, viola, oboe, bassoon, and continuo by J. S. Bach (BWV 131). It was the first cantata composed by Bach, possibly written for a penitential service following a great fire that destroyed a large part of the town of Mühlhausen in May 1707. The text from Ps. 130:1–8 is juxtaposed with two strophes from the chorale Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut (“Lord Jesus Christ, O highest good”) by Bartholomäus Ringwaldt. The work opens with a sinfonia scored in a mournful minor tonality that moves without a break into Aus der Tiefen (“Out of the depths”) sung by the chorus with word painting on Flehen (“supplications”). The fear of the Lord (fürchte) in the next two verses (v. 4) is expressed by semiquavers, while the “waiting” in the next two sections (vv. 4–5) is depicted by melismas on harren (“waiting . . . for the Lord”) and wartet (“wait”). The work ends with the aria Israel, hoffe auf den Herrn (“Israel, hope in the Lord”) (Ps. 130:7–8) with an oboe obbligato and an elaborate choral fugue und er will Israel erlösen (“he will redeem Israel”).
AVE MARIA. (“Hail Mary”). Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary based on the angel Gabriel’s salutation to Mary at the Annunciation (Lk. 1:28) and Elizabeth’s greeting (Lk. 1:42). The petition “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen” was added by the Council of Trent (1545–1563). There are numerous settings, most notably Ave Maria . . . Virgo serena (“Hail Mary . . . gentle Virgin”) by Josquin des Prez, which was regarded as one of the most famous compositions of the 15th century, featuring early imitative counterpoint. Other well-known 15th- and 16th-century settings include those by Ockeghem, Taverner, Palestrina, Orlando de Lassus, Byrd, and Victoria. Gounod’s well-known setting, published in 1853, features a superimposed melody sung or played over Bach’s Prelude no. 1 in C Major (BWV 846). Verdi’s ethereal four-part setting (1889) is based on the “enigmatic scale” of C–D-flat–E–F-sharp–G-sharp–A-sharp–B–C. Other well-known 19th- and 20th-century settings include those of Bruckner (1856, 1861, 1882), Mendelssohn (1830), Liszt (1883), Franck (1863), Brahms (1861), Rachmaninoff (1915), and Holst (1900). Twentieth-century settings include sublime works by Bruno Bettineli (1918), Franz Biebl (Angelus Domini, 1964), Arvo Pärt (1990), Morten Lauridsen (1997), Philip W. J. Stopford (2007), and Kevin Memley (2007). Schubert’s popular Ave Maria (1826) was originally a setting for voice and piano of “Hymn to the Virgin” or “Ellen’s Song,” a poem from Sir Walter Scott’s The Lady of the Lake (1810), translated into German by Adam Storck (1780–1822), although now very frequently sung with the traditional Latin words.
AVODATH HAKODESH. (“Sacred Service”). Work in Hebrew and spoken English for soloist (cantor), chorus, and orchestra by Ernest Bloch (1933), who studied Ashkenazi Hebrew for a year when commissioned to write it. Based on the Sabbath Morning Service, it is in five parts, unified around a six-note leitmotif based on the Gregorian “Magnificat” (GACBAG). After a Symphonic Prelude, part 1 contains settings of texts from the Torah and Psalms (Num. 24:5; Ps. 69:13; Deut. 6:4; Exod. 15:12, 15, 18) and incorporates an arrangement of the traditional melody Tzur Yisrael (“Rock of Israel”) by Cantor Reuben Rinder (1887–1966) of Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. Part 2 is a setting of the “Kedushah” (Sanctus; Isa. 6:3), and part 3 (“silent devotion”) includes a setting of Ps. 19:14 (“Let the words of my mouth”) sung a cappella and “Lift up your heads, O ye, gates” (Ps. 24:7–10). Part 4, “Returning the Scroll to the Ark,” includes a peace song about the “Tree of Life” (Prov. 3:11–18), and the work concludes with the Priestly Blessing (Num. 6:24–26).
AWAKENING, THE. Chancel opera in one act and five scenes for three soloists (SMezBar) and piano/organ accompaniment by American composer Susan Hulsman Bingham (1944). Featuring traditional harmony, with short arias and recitatives, the work is designed for performance during a service in a church or a synagogue and premiered at Trinity Church on the Green, New Haven, Connecticut, in 1980. The libretto by Neil Olson highlights the participation of women in the ministry of Jesus at the wedding at Cana (Jn. 2:1–11), in the house of Mary and Martha (Lk. 10: 38–42), at the foot of the cross (Mt. 27:55–61), and after the Resurrection (Jn. 20) and depicts Jesus as having a “gentle sense of humour.”
AWESOME GOD. Contemporary worship song (1988) by Christian singer/songwriter Rich Mullins, it first appeared on the album Winds of Heaven Stuff of Earth (1988). It is full of loose allusions to biblical stories, such as the Creation, the Garden of Eden, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Second Coming (Rev. 22:7), and phrases such as “awesome God” (Deut. 7:21, NIV; cf. Pss. 47:2; 68:35) and “lightning in his fists” (Job 36:32–33, NIV). Reaching number 1 on the list of 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music published by CCM Magazine in 2006, it has been performed by American contemporary musician Michael W. Smith and sung in a variety of styles, including hip-hop, ska, and rap.