Beati IV: Pro eis sine domo (For the stateless)

SKU: MN.56-0032

UPC: 688670220371. Latin. Isaiah 4:6; Psalms 31:7.

Written for the Enchanted Voices CD, this is one of many settings of texts either from the Beatitudes (or springing from them) available from this composer. For soprano solo and SSAA chorus, organ, cello, synthesizer, the music has a light, ethereal feeling. “Beati” can be taken as a sort of “Blessed are they” prefix for the movements which are not direct quotes from the Beatitudes. This movement begins with the soloist singing in English (“Blessed are the stateless; blessed are the homeless”). Next the chorus sings Latin settings of Isaiah 4:6 (“And there shall be a tabernacle”) and Psalms 31:7 (“Thou art my refuge”). The Latin is set in a sort of mantra-like declamatory style, moving through unison into two-part and finally three. All voice return to the opening theme in English originally sung by the soloist. Then the two concepts are overlaid, the solo motif with the declamatory Latin. The choral voices recap the unison-through-three part declamatory section, the soloist briefly returns to the opening theme. Duration 7:25