I have written this Psalm Offering for Kevin Clinton, pastor of St. Wenceslaus Parish. The music for this Psalm Offering is directly related to the music for Psalm Offering 5 in Opus 6. Psalm Offering 5 was originally a setting of the Lord’s Prayer I had written for a Mass setting I was hoping would be my graduate project when I was in graduate school at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, UST. The melodies in this music were taken from the Glory to God and Holy, Holy from the same Mass setting.
I first came to know Kevin, in 2007 when I was told that the parish in South Minneapolis at which I was a parish life administrator was going to receive a pastor. I talked to Kevin, who, at that time, had recently come to St. Wenceslaus as pastor, about possibly serving at St. Wenceslaus. We had a common friend in Denny Dempsey. The other common bond we shared was receiving our Masters in Pastoral Studies from the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. I began serving with Kevin at St. Wenceslaus in 2009. I discovered very quickly that we shared similar views of ecclesiology and theology. I have had the honor of serving with many fine priests in 39 years of church ministry. Kevin is by far the finest of all the priests with whom I have served.
I never thought I would find myself writing waltzes, but as I composed this music, it came to me as one grand Viennese waltz. As I set these melodies down, I kept seeing in my mind’s eye couples swirling across a dance floor. This music is written in Rondo form, the dominant melody repeating in different variations. The tempo Vivace gioioso, lively and joyfully, best describes the joy of serving with Kevin these past seven years.
