This is an original composition, commissioned by the Middleton Choral Society, Maureen MacLean director, in 2006. It is dedicated to the memory of Ross Burgess, a charter member of the choir, by his wife Ruth.
When I was commissioned to write the work, director Maureen MacLean gave me a list of texts that were meaningful to Ruth and Ross. From that list, I selected three to use as the final text for "Deep Peace": "Dona nobis pacem" ("Grant them peace"); "Deep Peace", by Fiona Macleod (1855-1905) from "Under the Dark Star"; and "God Guide Me", from Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1.
Though work is tonal, there is a sense of "floating tonality" in sections, with a considerable number of altered tones and "delicious" dissonances. But this work should be accessible by most unauditioned community choirs. All parts split at various times, so unauditioned choirs should have at least 6 members in each section for security. Higher-level auditioned choirs can make do with 4 per section.
Click "VIEW SCORE SAMPLE" on the repertoire list page to see the first 2 pages of this arrangement.
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