Northern Spire

About Abounding in Love:

    

Abounding in Love (2026) is a choral anthem reflecting upon the love of God and our response to God's love.  The text of the refrain is original to the composer, but takes its inspiration from portions Psalm 103, while the verses reference God's love as described by Christ in John 15:12-13.  The choral writing includes both unison and SATB explorations of the text, and includes both accompanied and a cappella sections, with some mild divisi in the soprano, especially for the final descant.  The almost-orchestral piano accompaniment serves to undergird the maestoso mood of the piece, as does the optional French Horn obbligato.  The final Soprano 1 descant incorporates an adaptation of the traditional Latin chant, "Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est," meaning, "Where there is charity and love, there is God."

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This piece was commissioned by Festival Celebration Choir of Albany, NY, under the direction of Julie Panke, in order to celebrate their 40th Anniversary season in 2026.  It is scheduled to premiere in May of 2026.

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Click on the title page image above to view a sample score.

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Below is a MIDI-rendered recording of this piece.  (The choral parts sing only "ah", as MIDI does not approximate the singing of text.)