I composed this Psalm Offering for Laura Schoenecker, the Director of Religious Education at St Wenceslaus Parish, and my good friend.
The inspiration for this Psalm Offering comes from Psalm 96:
O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
The world is firmly established;
it shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth. (Psalm 96, NRSV)
The music is meant to evoke an image of one grand, joyful waltz danced before the throne of God. All of Creation in praise and thanksgiving of our God who created us.
About the Music: It is simple ABA form. Variations of the two melodies evolve as the melodies repeat, ending in one great flourish at the Coda.
Psalm Offering 4 Opus 10: A Waltz for Laura Schoenecker
