WINGATE: ALL YE HIS ANGELS
A Michaelmas Anthem

Date:
2010

Instrumentation:
Chorus (SATB) and Organ

Duration:
4'

Text (by the composer after Ps. 103:20-22)

    O praise the Lord, all ye his angels,
    ye mighty in strength that fulfill his command,
    hearkening unto the voice of his word!

    O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts,
    ye servants of his that do his will!

    O praise the Lord, all ye his works,
    in all the places of his dominion!

    Praise thou the Lord, O my soul!

Notes:
All Ye His Angels is a four-minute choral anthem with organ obligato, that may also be described as an elaborate exercise in chromatic harmony. The complex contrapuntal lines in the choral parts are often further complicated by extra lines in the organ. Even the more chorale-like episodes tend to modulate between keys related by major or minor thirds, destabilizing any tonic center, but the use of decidedly tonal theme materials throughout serves to hold the proceedings in place. The music also often makes elaborate vocal demands of its choral singers, such as a high B-natural for the sopranos just before the coda. The interplay between organ and chorus might at first seem adversarial, as aggressive organ interludes often interrupt voices’ efforts, but both of the anthem’s forces ultimately progress in a tandem ecstasy of praise. The piece was composed for a Michaelmas service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 2010 using an uplifting text adapted by the composer.