Northern Spire
the music of Philip Spaeth
God Has Made Holy His Dwelling Place
Ostinato Refrain for Marian Feasts
for Choir, Cantor, Assembly, and Piano/Organ
-
premiered December 8, 2009
The Church of St. Peter
Saratoga Springs, NY​
​​
-
Ostinato Refrain (for choir and assembly) with Superimposed Verses (for Cantor) and accompaniment
​​
​
About God Has Made Holy His Dwelling Place:
God Has Made Holy His Dwelling Place (2009) is inspired by the Offertory Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, as found in the Graduale Simplex, but it is suitable to any Marian feast or liturgy in which devotion to Our Lady takes a prominent role. The Refrain is an ostinato, which means it is meant to be repeated as many times as desired in order to allow those at prayer to meditate on the text, and to aid the Assembly in learning the music as it is being sung. The Verses, based on Psalm 46:2,6,9,12, are intended to be sung superimposed over the Refrain, by a Cantor. There is a lot of flexibility inherent in a piece in this form. If a Cantor is not present to sing the Verses, they may be omitted, and the Refrain may be sung repeatedly on its own by the Assembly, either with a Choir, Cantor, or simply with keyboard accompaniment. The accompaniment is suitable for Piano or Organ, and chord symbols are provided, either for guitarists, or to aid keyboard improvisation, if so desired.
​
Click on the title page image above to view a sample score.
​
Performance History
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 2009
world premiere
The Church of St. Peter, Saratoga Springs, NY
Philip Spaeth, Music Director
Programmed regularly for Marian Feasts since 2009
The Church of St. Peter, Saratoga Springs, NY
Philip Spaeth, Music Director