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About the Score

hutchingsmusic · Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life

"Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" is an SATB (no divisi) setting of a short poem by George Herbert. It was a finalist in the Hereford Cathedral Composition Competition. The premiere performance (this recording) was given in December 2022 by the Aurora Consort in Suffolk. Music nerdery: you might notice that the opening of each verse has a similar pattern but sounds a bit different. This is because it's the same pattern in a different mode. The first few chords in verse 1 are Dm (no5th), C major, Bb major (with a major 7th). In verse 2, we start with C major (no 5th), then Bb major, then A minor 7th; and in verse 3, we start with Bb major (no 5th), A minor, and G minor 7th. In each verse, the musical development then proceeds more freely thereafter, but I wanted to see what I could do by starting each verse with the same chordal pattern in a different mode (which echoes what Herbert's text does - using a similar invocation at the start of each verse, but with different words). I think the poet would probably have enjoyed this musical equivalent to his wordplay. This piece would be suitable for almost any church service, as an introit or short anthem, or for concert performance. Ranges are on the higher side - top Gs for sopranos and tenors, one top E for altos (can be covered by second sopranos), and a top D for basses.

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