Confession
Robinson McClellan
About this work:
I chose this text because I think it asks us to acknowledge the minor misdeeds and omissions we permit in our everyday lives. So often we make small allowances for ourselves, fudge things that are difficult for us, or mistreat our loved ones in little ways. Most of the time we allow ourselves to ignore these things, hoping that nobody, perhaps not even ourselves, will notice. I think that those small things are often far more important than they seem, and I hope that this text, and this piece, will remind us to be more careful of ourselves and one another.
The file posted here are:
1. Sample score (pp. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8)
2. Recording (excerpt: m. 46 - end)
For a full perusal copy or to purchase a score, please visit my website.
First performance (as heard here) by St. Michael's Choir
March 17, 2002 at St. Michael's Church, New York, NY.
Nicholas White, conductor
TEXT:
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against thee
in thought, word and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved thee with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in thy will,
and walk in thy ways,
to the glory of thy Name. Amen.
From The Book of Common Prayer (1979) of the Episcopal Church, USA.
Year composed: 2001
Duration: 00:04:00
Ensemble type: Chorus, with or without Solo Voices:Chorus, Unaccompanied
Instrumentation: 1 S, 1 A, 1 T, 1 B
Instrumentation notes: This is an SATB choral anthem of medium difficulty, ideal for any church or concert setting.