Choral Choir (SATB) - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.926660 Composed by Michael A. Morizio. A Cappella,Christian,Sacred. Octavo. 112 pages. M.A. Morizio #3588371. Published by M.A. Morizio (A0.926660). During the late spring of 2017, I began composing a new choral piece based on the 1 Timothy 3:16 text. I was studying Paul's first letter to Timothy at the time when this particular passage jumped out at me. Not only was it an efficient summary of the Gospel message, but it was also a textual grouping, or form, such as might be found in a traditional hymn. What I was reading were indeed lyrics to an actual 1st Century Hymn to Christ, the music of which has since been lost. I entitled my piece, Great is the Mystery. I composed the anthem for SATB (a cappella), and set it to the ESV translation of the scripture. Based on its context, I suspected the song would work great for Ascension Sunday. Our choir sang the piece beautifully, crescendoing at the finish to the words, Believed on in the world and taken up in glory! Later that spring, I played the piece for a dear friend of mine who is Pastor at Immanuel Church in Manchester, New Hampshire. What he told me was actually a bit stunning. He informed me that there were (at least) seven specific known Hymns to Christ written into the New Testament Scriptures, whose text is found among the writings of the apostles’ Paul and John. The 1 Timothy 3:16 verse that I had selected for my piece was indeed one of those texts. At that moment, Pastor Don and I made a pact. If he were to supply me with the literal Greek translations of the other six known Hymns to Christ, I would set out to compose brand new anthems for them all. A new musical collaboration had begun. With this short introduction serving as the genesis of my new song cycle, I offer you these new Seven Anthems to Christ based on the seven known ancient ‘Hymns to Christ' texts found in the New Testament.
