Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock
Voicing: SAB chorus, a cappella or with piano/organText: Biblical, Psalm 144
Language: English
Duration: 3 min.
Dedication: To the victims -- and survivors -- of the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001
Premiere: May 22, 2003; Mixed Choir of White Bear Lake High School; Marie Dymit, conductor.
See the score: PREVIEW THE SCORE (pdf)
Order online: Graphite Publishing, Cat. No. B004
LISTEN:
Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock: mp3, 4:00, 4.6 MB
Performed by The Singers--Minnesota Choral Artists; Matthew Culloton, cond.
Recording courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio, live at the AGO Convention, Minneapolis, June 2008.
PROGRAM NOTE:
This 3-minute SAB choral piece was written on September 12, 2001 as a tribute to the victims –- and survivors -- of the tragedies the day before. The moving text from Psalm 144 escalates to two 4-part chords (sop divisi), then continues softly in unison “rescue, me, deliver me...” A piece of emotional and compositional substance for SAB a cappella choir, it also has an optional piano or organ accompaniment. After its premiere, composer Abbie Betinis received the following note from a high school singer:
"I sang with much strength and feeling because it is the type of song that has a good message. I was very honored to be in the first group to perform it. The night that we performed [Blessed be the Lord, My Rock], I saw tears in people's eyes. That made me feel like I was passing the message along in the right way."- Graphite Publishing
Psalm 144
Book of Common Prayer
Blessed be the Lord, my rock and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield and he in whom I take refuge.
We are like breath,
our days are like a passing shadow.
Bow thy heav'ns, O Lord,
come down!
Stretch forth thy hand from on high,
rescue me, deliver me.
I will sing a new song to thee, O God.
Book of Common Prayer
Blessed be the Lord, my rock and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield and he in whom I take refuge.
We are like breath,
our days are like a passing shadow.
Bow thy heav'ns, O Lord,
come down!
Stretch forth thy hand from on high,
rescue me, deliver me.
I will sing a new song to thee, O God.
Performed by:
Adult Choir of Episcopal Church of the Nativity (J. David Moore, conductor)
Adult Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church, Pottsville, PA (Franklin M. Osenbach, conductor)
Buffalo Valley Singers (Rita Griffith, conductor)
Choir at Bible Baptist Church (James Anderson, conductor)
Choir of St. Paul's-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church (Patrick McDonough, conductor)
Coro Stella Maris (Amelia LeClair, director)
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church Choir (Mike Bolin, conductor)
Pebble in the Water quartet of St. Paul's-on-the-Hill Episcopal (Jacob Manier, director)
The Singers--Minnesota Choral Artists (Matthew Culloton, conductor)
White Bear Lake High School Mixed Choir (Marie Dymit, conductor)
Zumbro Lutheran Choir (Kristy Giere, Director of Music)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)
Adult Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church, Pottsville, PA (Franklin M. Osenbach, conductor)
Buffalo Valley Singers (Rita Griffith, conductor)
Choir at Bible Baptist Church (James Anderson, conductor)
Choir of St. Paul's-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church (Patrick McDonough, conductor)
Coro Stella Maris (Amelia LeClair, director)
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church Choir (Mike Bolin, conductor)
Pebble in the Water quartet of St. Paul's-on-the-Hill Episcopal (Jacob Manier, director)
The Singers--Minnesota Choral Artists (Matthew Culloton, conductor)
White Bear Lake High School Mixed Choir (Marie Dymit, conductor)
Zumbro Lutheran Choir (Kristy Giere, Director of Music)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)