CHORAL MUSIC

(for Advent)
Commissioned and Premiered (December 1997) by First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Peter Sykes, Music Director
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English), trans. into Latin by Edward J. Vodoklys, S.J.

(For Easter)
Commissioned and Premiered by First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Peter Sykes, Music Director
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English), trans. into Latin by Edward J. Vodoklys, S.J.

Commissioned by Cappella Clausura, Amelia LeClair, Director.  Premiered August 2021.  Janet Stone, Soprano; Na’ama Lion, Baroque Flute; Nancy Hurrell, Northern European Harp; Mike Williams, Drum.

(for Epiphany)

Commissioned and Premiered (6 January 1997) by First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Peter Sykes, Music Director
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English)

Commissioned and Premiered (30 March 2003) by Youth pro Musica, St. Cecilia’s Church, Boston, MA
Hazel Somerville, Director
Text: Genesis 1, Psalm 148 and Psalm 91, Biblia Sacra Vulgata translation (Latin)

Commissioned by Anonymous
Premiered (11 November 2006) by Laurie Monahan, Kalamazoo, MI
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English)

Audio file: violin mock-up; all parts played by Patricia Van Ness

Text by Patricia Van Ness

My true love breathes into me nothing but love, and tells me,
“Amidst all, there is nothing but loving-kindness;
everything is love.”

Rose petals float on the water — hundreds; a milky way —
gliding above golden fragments.

My true love sails with me in a blue, blue ship,
blue as the blue of the cradling sea,
as the blue twilit air where my true love breathes,
“Amidst all, there is nothing but love.”

Commissioned and Premiered (22 March 1996) by Tapestry, Cambridge, MA; Laurie Monahan, Director
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English), trans. into Latin by Edward J. Vodoklys, S.J.

Commissioned and Premiered (25 May 2005) by Tapestry (Cristi Catt, Laurie Monahan, Daniela Tosic), First Church in Cambridge
As supplemental music for new staging of Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo
Text: Psalm 148

Part of “Child of the Borderlands”
Commissioned by and Premiered (20 October 2018) by Cappella Clausura, Amelia LeClair, Director
Janet Stone, Soprano
From Music for the Psalms, dedicated in its entirety to Peter Sykes

Premiered by Viriditas, Cristi Catt, Director, at Night Song, First Church in Cambridge, Congregational

Text: Rumi (Birdsong) and The Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

Text

Birdsong brings relief to my longing
I’m just as ecstatic as they are, but with nothing to say!
Please universal soul, practice some song or something through me!
You heard my cry.
You put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to you:
Amen.

Text: Adapted by Van Ness from the Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

This is a second setting of Seasons, Movement 1, Spring

Part of “Birds of the Psalms”
Commissioned by and Premiered (October 2016) by Cappella Clausura, Amelia LeClair, Director
Commercial Release Fall 2017 by Cappella Clausura, Amelia LeClair, Director, and online July 2017 by PARMA
Text: Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

Commissioned and premiered by Alison DeRosa, soprano, and Daryl Bichel, organ, on 20 February 2022 at Night Song, Daryl Bichel, Artistic Director, First Church in Cambridge, MA
Text: Adapted by Van Ness from the Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

Part of: Child of the Borderlands
Composed for Janet Stone, Soprano
Text: Adapted by Van Ness from the Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

Premiered (6 January 2014) at Night Song (Daryl Bichel, Artistic Director) by Viriditas (Cristi Catt, Director)
First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Text: Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer (English)
From Music for the Psalms

Composed for Janet Stone and Sonja DuToit Tengblad and premiered at Trinity Church, Boston, MA, on 30 June 2019

Text adapted by Patricia Van Ness from The Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer
From Music for the Psalms, Dedicated in its entirety to Peter Sykes

Commissioned by Jimmy Bastille, wooden boatmaker, in exchange for fixing a door
Text by Patricia Van Ness (English)

Premiered (12 October 1999) by Ellen Hargis, soprano, and Peter Sykes, harpsichord, Kings Chapel, Boston
Text by Pablo Neruda (Spanish)

Commissioned by and Premiered (15 November 1998), by Coro Allegro
David Hodgkins, Director, soprano Ruth Cunningham
Text by Sappho (Old Greek and English)