(Click to view the entire score)
EMH-014 The-tabernacle-of-God
Catalogue #:EMH-014
Duration:Approx. 6'30"
Voicing
Instrumentation
Language
Composer The tabernacle of God
Ethan McGrath

The tabernacle of God

for SATB voices and organ

The impetus for this anthem was the Music in Worship event at the 2016 ACDA Southern Division conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Conductor Gerald Peel asked me if I would write something that his choir could sing for the event, which was to consist entirely of works featuring the word “alleluia.” In my search for texts, I was surprised to find that the bible actually contains very few usages of the word: it appears only four times in the entire King James Version, and they are all in Revelation chapter 19, from whence the text of Handel’s so-called “Hallelujah Chorus” is derived. Indeed, I decided to use Handel’s text, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” along with another passage that a friend had suggested to me: Revelation 21:1- 4, about the “New Jerusalem” coming down from heaven.

The very florid, unbound melody played on the organ at the beginning, and at various points throughout the work, should be played quite expressively, without any sense of exactitude. It reflects the idea of both weightlessness and timelessness—like the clouds floating about the city as it descends to the earth. The tenor soloist represents the apostle John on the Isle of Patmos, who saw it all in a vision. The chorus in its first appearance is cast as the “great voice out of heaven,” presumably the voice of God himself, proclaiming in a grand fanfare that “the tabernacle of God is with men.” Then, in a reprisal of the quieter opening material, the significance of that proclamation is described by the soprano section: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death…”

Now the alleluias begin—faintly at first, as if from a distance, being sung by the basses. Think of a regal coronation procession, beginning far away and gradually moving closer. The tenors, altos, and sopranos enter successively, as if more and more people are joining the throng, together forming an opulent tapestry of fugal polyphony that builds to an exultant fortissimo as the procession reaches its destination. When the “dust settles” in cascading sequences of Lydian and whole-tone scales, the florid opening motive returns in the organ and a solo soprano voice—an angel, as it were—emerges to gently intone the text, “for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

Like many of my compositions, this work is indebted most of all to Ralph Vaughan Williams and is inspired in part by his ‘Sancta Civitas,’ an extended work for chorus and orchestra that features passages from the book of Revelation. My love of J. S. Bach, who also greatly influenced Vaughan Williams’ work, probably accounts in part for the quasi-fugue in the “alleluia” section. The influence of Debussy is no doubt also apparent in the enigmatic, “dreamy” harmonies. I thought this quite appropriate, since John was, in a sense, dreaming when he saw all these things. I hope that this anthem, in reminding us of that dream, will encourage us to never stop dreaming of a better world.

$2.50$45.00

(Note: 8-copy minimum purchase for most choral titles) $2.50

About Our "Print What You Need" Download License

Swirly Music composers want to make it as convenient and economical as possible for you to perform our work. So we have devised a simple, flat-fee pricing model that we hope accomplishes just that. It might help you to decide which option to take if you compare the download license price to the print cost for the number of copies you would need.

When you choose the download option, you will be provided with a private link via which you can download the score in PDF format. We only ask that you honor the following terms.

License terms for choral music distributed by SWIRLY MUSIC

The PURCHASER is defined as the individual or performing organization who buys the download license for a specific work for his, her or its own use.

  1. The COMPOSER is the publisher and retains all copyrights and rights to administer mechanical and recording licenses.
  2. Through SWIRLY MUSIC, the COMPOSER grants permission for PURCHASER to make as many copies as needed for its own use in order to rehearse and perform the work.
  3. PURCHASER agrees to make copies for its own use ONLY. Transference, loan, or resale of music purchased from SWIRLY MUSIC to individuals or organizations outside of PURCHASER’s own organization is a violation of the licensing agreement and subject to prosecution.
  4. The downloaded score contains a licensing statement customized with the PURCHASER's name. This may not be tampered with.
  5. PURCHASER may use music purchased from SWIRLY MUSIC indefinitely for future performances.
  6. By purchasing this download license from SWIRLY MUSIC, PURCHASER automatically agrees to this licensing agreement in its entirety.
About our "Print What You Need" Download License
$45.00

Need to Place Your Order "Offline" With a Purchase Order or Otherwise?

Offline Ordering

If you can't place an order here using a credit card, just write to [email protected] and let us know what you need — which title(s) and quantity — and your shipping address. We'll provide an invoice that can be paid by check. Unfortunately, because orders are printed on demand, payment is required before your order can be fulfilled.