Maskil of David
Karen Siegel
About this work:
This piece began as a trio of women’s voices. When Trio Eos asked me to write a piece of sacred music for them, I started reading the psalms in search of an appropriate text. I quickly discovered why the psalms of David are so frequently set to music— the no-holds-barred honesty of emotion with which he talks to God is both captivating on its own and rich with musical possibilities. My perspective on this psalm is focused more on the individual and the interpersonal than on the divine. The text has been adapted accordingly; I omitted some sections and repeated others out of order. Rewriting Maskil of David for mixed chorus, I expanded the harmonies, created a dialogue between the men’s and women’s voices, and rewrote the ending as a twelve-part canon.
Version: Choral Version
Year composed: 2005
Duration: 00:05:00
Ensemble type: Chorus, with or without Solo Voices:Chorus, Unaccompanied
Instrumentation: 1 SS, 1 A, 1 T, 1 BB
Instrumentation notes: This is an SSATBB choral piece with twelve part divisi. There is no requirement for a specific number of singers on each voice part beyond a minimum of twelve singers.