SSATB and organ
Text: Dr Joseph Spence
Duration: 5.5′
Oxford University Press
Commissioned by Dulwich College
First performance 6 April, 2017 | The Choirs of Dulwich College | St Thomas’, New York, US
This atmospheric anthem by Cecilia McDowall commemorates the First World War. It sets a stark English text by Dr Joseph Spence alongside Latin text from Psalm 130, with the words ‘In memoriam’ added. The lower parts sing Spence’s English text, conveying the relentless hardship of life in the trenches with declamatory and constantly developing vocal lines. The sopranos, meanwhile, repeat the Latin words from Psalm 130, providing a striking contrast in their constancy and otherworldliness.
Programme note
Link to Score:
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/de-profundis-9780193522954