Majestic Ride — a Choral Sequence for Holy Week
Majestic Ride is a choral sequence for the beginning of Holy Week. It consists of three new hymn settings, linked by optional solo/choral passages and narration drawn from the Bible, centred mainly on the events of Palm Sunday. The three hymns are ‘All glory, laud and honour’, ‘My song is love unknown’ and ‘Ride on, ride on in majesty!’
The sequence may be performed in a concert, or as an extended anthem in a church service. The linking passages may be adapted to suit the occasion, or dispensed with altogether. Each of the three settings could stand alone as separate anthems. There is also scope for audience/congregational participation in the first and last settings.
Accompaniment is ideally for organ, but piano could be used instead. (The linking passages in the sound file are shortened as compared with the score.)
Majestic Ride is available here in print, with the option instead for a download with license to print as many copies as needed for your chorus.
The first US performance of this work took place on Palm Sunday 2015 in Ocala, Florida, and the musical director provided the following endorsement:
“I am delighted to have directed my choir in performing Mr Thornett’s piece, “Majestic Ride”, a work perfect for our church’s Palm Sunday cantata. In each movement, Mr. Thornett pairs a familiar text with original yet intuitive melodies. The work incorporates modern harmonic sounds, rich polyphonic sections and playful melodies that at once engage the listener in a fresh presentation of the well known Holy Week sequence. The music fits comfortably in the vocal and musical range of our intermediate level choir, and did not require an undue amount of preparation. I would encourage involving the audience or congregation, as the composer’s suggests, in accompanying the choir on the specific segments where noted. We briefly went over the parts with the congregation at the beginning of the service and found this to add a wonderful dimension to the service. This piece was the right choice for our choir, pastor, and congregation alike-I highly recommend it!”
-David Bedenbaugh, Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church, Ocala, FL
| Voicing: | SATB, Unison |
| Descriptive Tags: | Cantata, Congregational Participation, New Hymn Settings, Praise, Prayer |
| Difficulty: | Beginners, Intermediate |
| Instrumentation: | Organ |
| Season or Event: | Easter, Holy Week, Lent |
| Sacred or Secular: | Sacred |
| Language: | English |
| Duration: | 10-15 Minutes |
This title is available in print or for immediate download. For both options, there is a minimum required quantity of 8 copies for choral titles. Please support self-publishing composers by ordering the quantity according to the number of singers in the ensemble that will perform the work.
Print orders are printed on demand and shipped by our printing partner, and can be expected to be processed within a few days of the order. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] to follow up.
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| SATB | 4' 10" | Italian | Due Sonetti de Petrarca are settings of sonnets by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) (1304-1374), great Italian scholar and poet and one of the earliest humanists. The set was written for the Saint Mary’s University Chamber Singers, who premiered the works on their tour of France in March, 2009, with the composer conducting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Due Sonetti de Petrarca are settings of sonnets by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) (1304-1374), great Italian scholar and poet and one of the earliest humanists. The set was written for the Saint Mary’s University Chamber Singers, who premiered the works on their tour of France in March, 2009, with the composer conducting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAB | 3'30" | English | The text for How Can I Keep from Singing was written by members of the Derventio Choir of Allestree, Derbyshire, England, and Steven Paxton’s setting was composed for the competition celebrating that choir’s 30th anniversary. Moderate tempo a cappella sections alternate with fast, rhythmically driving sections mixing 6/8 and 5/8 meters. The piano accompaniment is […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The text for How Can I Keep from Singing was written by members of the Derventio Choir of Allestree, Derbyshire, England, and Steven Paxton’s setting was composed for the competition celebrating that choir’s 30th anniversary. Moderate tempo a cappella sections alternate with fast, rhythmically driving sections mixing 6/8 and 5/8 meters. The piano accompaniment is […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 4' | English | I Lift Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 121) is part of the section (Psalms 120-134) of psalms called the ‘Songs of Ascents’, meaning “to sing while going up.” It is a song of thanksgiving sung by the psalm singer, possibly on the way to Jerusalem with the hills of Jerusalem in view. The psalm contains two […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I Lift Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 121) is part of the section (Psalms 120-134) of psalms called the ‘Songs of Ascents’, meaning “to sing while going up.” It is a song of thanksgiving sung by the psalm singer, possibly on the way to Jerusalem with the hills of Jerusalem in view. The psalm contains two […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 4'45" | English | Charles Wesley’s hymn text based on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel depicts a deeply human struggle for truth and understanding. This a cappella setting of the text grows with the building intensity of Jacob’s determination, finally breaking into the joy of revelation and reassurance in the final verse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charles Wesley’s hymn text based on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel depicts a deeply human struggle for truth and understanding. This a cappella setting of the text grows with the building intensity of Jacob’s determination, finally breaking into the joy of revelation and reassurance in the final verse. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSA | 3' | Latin | This setting of the Offertory for the Third Sunday of Easter (Psalm 145:2) uses the Latin form of:Praise the Lord, O my soul:I will praise the Lord throughout my life;I will sing to my God for as long as I live,alleluia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This setting of the Offertory for the Third Sunday of Easter (Psalm 145:2) uses the Latin form of:Praise the Lord, O my soul:I will praise the Lord throughout my life;I will sing to my God for as long as I live,alleluia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSAA | 3' | English | This inspirational piece for treble voices begins and ends with a canon. Originally written for a high school girl’s choir, it is appropriate for younger singers as well as professionals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This inspirational piece for treble voices begins and ends with a canon. Originally written for a high school girl’s choir, it is appropriate for younger singers as well as professionals. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SA ⋅ SS | 5' | English | The Magnificat (Song of Mary) and Nunc dimittis (Song of Simeon) are biblical canticles. Mary sings the Magnificat (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) on the occasion of her visit to Elizabeth, as narrated in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39–56). Simeon sings the Nunc dimittis (“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”) […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Magnificat (Song of Mary) and Nunc dimittis (Song of Simeon) are biblical canticles. Mary sings the Magnificat (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) on the occasion of her visit to Elizabeth, as narrated in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39–56). Simeon sings the Nunc dimittis (“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”) […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 2'40" | English ⋅ Yiddish | This beloved lullaby is presented with an evocative piano accompaniment and vocal solo, bringing out a melancholy beauty that will entrance your audience. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This beloved lullaby is presented with an evocative piano accompaniment and vocal solo, bringing out a melancholy beauty that will entrance your audience. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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