Canticum Novum
Canticum Novum (2004)
Premiered at Treble Fest, Cornell University, in April 2004. Choruses participating: Cornell Chorus and Wellesley College Chamber Singers, Tim Olsen, organ; Scott Tucker, conductor
Syracuse University Women's Choir; Barbara Tagg, conductor
Canticum Novum is a motet for female choir with texts from Psalms 149 and 150. It was commissioned by Scott Tucker, Cornell University director of choral music, to be the closing work of the 2004 Treble Fest final concert. As in Vega’s Notre-Dame Pentecost Mass, the composer mixes well known medieval voice leading techniques, such as the double leading tone cadence and Landini cadence, with contemporary harmonic techniques. Its central fugatto demarks the climax of the piece and leads to its antiphonal conclusion. The text of the work is:
149:1 cantate Domino canticum novum
150:1 laudate Dominum in sanctis eius laudate eum in firmamento virtutis eius
150:4 laudate eum in tympano et choro laudate eum in cordis et organo
150:5 laudate eum in cymbalis bene sonantibus laudate eum in cymbalis iubilationis
150:6 omnis spiritus laudet Dominum
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This recording: Cornell Chorus and Wellesley College Chamber Singers, Tim Olsen, organ; Scott Tucker, conductor