Creation Canticles (A Song Cycle for Soprano and Organ)
by
Dan Locklair
Creation Canticles is a song cycle of praise, composed in 1986, that sets the Benedicite, omnia opera Domini from the Apocrycha book, Song of the Young Men (35-65), as found in The Book of Common Prayer (1979). The text and my division into movements are as follows:
I. Invocation
Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
II. The Cosmic Order
Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord,
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew,
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and summer, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold,
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O nights and days,
O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
III. The Earth and its Creatures
Let the earth glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,
and all that grows upon the earth,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams,
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild,
and all you flocks and herds.
O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
IV. The People of God
Let the people of God glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
V. Doxology
Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
(Glorify the Lord.)
Notes to the performers
Soprano:
1) The piece begins and concludes at the opposite end of the performing space to where the organ is located. As noted in movements I and V, the soprano processes to the organ during the first movement and reverses this motion in the final movement.
2) Two Finger Cymbals (or one Finger Cymbal and a metal beater) are required in Movements I and V and these instruments are to be played, as noted in the score, by the soprano as she sings.
Organist:
Suggested registrations are given for a two-manual organ. The piece is especially designed for small instruments and/or ones with limited expression mechanisms. The piece works equally well on a larger organ containing more coloristic possibilities. Care should be taken, however, to preserve structural elements (such as dialogue) that are defined by the two-manual organ registration.
Duration : ca. 16 minutes
Dan Locklair
Winston-Salem, North Carolina