Strengthen for Service

for SATB Choir and Strings

French Press jessicafrench.net

The

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

Strengthen for Service

Strengthen for service, O Lord, hands that holy things have taken; and let ears that heard your most holy word to lesser things never awaken.

Lord, may tongues which “Holy” sang be free from all deceiving, may eyes which saw your love be bright, heavenly hope perceiving; and may feet that walked along hallowed courts from your true light never be banished. May bodies by your Body fed be with your new life replenished.

Amen.

– from the Syro-Malabar Liturgy (5th century)

Performance Notes

• In m. 49 on p. 12, the solid arrow indicates that the poco accelerando is meant to accelerate up to the new tempo in m. 52.

• All final consonants are placed on rests.

Program Notes

Strengthen for Service was composed in 2022 for the Cathedral of the Madeleine Founders’ Day Concert in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Madeleine Choir School. It is dedicated to the Rectors of the Cathedral of the Madeleine: Monsignor M. Francis Mannion, Monsignor Joseph M. Mayo, Fr. Martin Diaz, in gratitude for their leadership and support in the first twenty-five years of the ministry of the Cathedral's Choir School.

As an alumna of the Madeleine Choir School, I was deeply honored to compose this piece to celebrate its 25th Anniversary. The text comes from a post-communion prayer in the Syro-Malabar liturgy, and it was immediately familiar to me, having sung Richard Proulx’s setting of this text as a young chorister. Because this text reminds me of my musical roots at the Cathedral, I wanted to honor the legacy of the Choir School and all it has meant to me in my musical and spiritual development. Once I started setting the text, the music came to me very quickly (which is usually not the case).

The piece begins with a sustained E in the violas, accompanied by a rising and falling ostinato in the violins. The treble voices then enter on the initial phrase, “Strengthen for service.” As the remaining voices join in, the harmonies begin to fill out, with the strings growing in intensity as the voices sing “may eyes which saw your love be bright,” and “heavenly hope perceiving.” At the words, “true light,” the strings echo the choir’s proclamations, building to a climax on the text “from your true light never be banished.” This climax is followed by a passage for the strings expressing the intense feelings of the text. The choir then serenely sings a cappella “May bodies by your body fed, be with your new life replenished,” gradually blossoming on the final phrase. With the return of the opening string ostinato, the choir sings the final “Amen,” and the music eventually returns to the lone sustained E that began the work.

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Dedicated to the Rectors of the Cathedral of the Madeleine Monsignor M. Francis Mannion, Monsignor Joseph M. Mayo, Fr. Martin Diaz, in gratitude for their leadership and support in the first twenty-five years of the ministry of the Cathedral's Choir School.

Syro-Malabar Liturgy (5th century)

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unis.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Violin I Violin II Viola Cello Double Bass ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ w ∑ ∑ P Confidently q = 60 Confidently q = 60 2 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 2 Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ ˙ w ∑ ∑ P P tenero tenero div.unis. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ w Ó œ œ ∑ P tenero 4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 4 Œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ w ˙ ˙ ∑ div. ŒŒÓ U Œ ŒŒÓ U Œ ŒŒÓ U Œ ŒŒÓ U Œ Œ œ œ œ œ U Œ Œ œ œ ˙ U Œ ˙ U ˙ œ ˙ ˙ U Œ ŒŒÓ U Œ rall. rall.

Strengthen for Service

performance.

This score is not licensed for

& & & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 S A Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ œj Strength en for ser vice, for J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ œj Strength en for ser vice, for ∑ ∑ w ˙ ˙ ∑ F a tempo (q = 60) F a tempo (q = 60) A A œj œ œj . œ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, œj œ œj œ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, ∑ ∑ w ˙ ˙ ∑ 8 . œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 hands that ho ly things have tak en; . œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 hands that ho ly things have tak en; 8 ∑ ∑ w ˙ n ˙ ∑ w w Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ ˙ w w ∑ P div. unis. P - - - -- - - -& & & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 10 ˙ Œ ‰ œ œ 3 and let ˙ Œ ‰ œ œ 3 and let 10 Œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ w ˙ œ œ ∑ P P F F œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj 3 3 3 3 ears that heard your most ho ly word, most œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj 3 3 3 3 ears that heard your most ho ly word, most w w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ∑ 12 . œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj ho ly word, to . œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj ho ly word, to 12 w w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ∑ --2 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. œ n œ œ ˙ œ œ œ 3 3 less er things nev er a œ n œ œ ˙ œ œ œ 3 3 less er things nev er a ∑ ∑ w w œ n ˙ œ ˙ n ˙ ∑ 14 J œ œ ˙ wak en. œj . œ ˙ wak en. Ó Œ œ œ œ 3 nev er a Ó Œ œ œ œ 3 nev er a 14 Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ ˙ w w ∑ f F F f F div. unis. F ˙ Œ . ˙ Œ J œ . œ œ Œ wak en. J œ . œ œ Œ wak en. Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ w w ∑ F F div. J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ œj Strength en for ser vice, for J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ œj Strength en for ser vice, for J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ œj Strength en for ser vice, for J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ J œ Strength en for ser vice, for w w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w F F F B B sonoramente sonoramente sonoramente sonoramente unis. sonoramente sonoramente sonoramente sonoramente sonoramente - - -- -- ------ - -3 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

that ho ly things have tak en;

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. œj œ œj . œ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, œj œ œj . . œœ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, œj œ œj . œ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, J œ œ J œ . œ ‰ ser vice, O Lord, . œ J œ œ œ . œ œj œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ w 18 ‰ œ J œ œ œ œ ho ly

. œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 hands

. œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3

. œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 hands

18 œ œ . œ J œ ˙ n ˙ w ˙ n ˙ ˙ n ˙ . œ J œ ˙ tak

. ˙ ‰ œ œ 3 and let . ˙ ‰ œ œ 3 and let . ˙ ‰ œ œ 3 and let œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w w w

- -- --- -4 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

things have

that ho ly things have tak en;

hands

en;

div.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 20 ˙ Œ ‰ J œ most œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 ears that heard your

ho ly

œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 ears that heard your

œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 ears that heard your

ho ly

20 w w ˙ ˙ ˙ a ˙ w unis. J œ œ J œ œ œ œ ho ly

. œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj ho

. œ J œ œ œ Œ ho

œ J œ œ œ . œ J œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ w 22 . œ J œ œ œ less er things a œ n œ œ ˙ œ œ œ 3 3 less er things nev er a Œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ n œ 3 3 less er things nev er a Œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ 3 3 less er things nev er a 22 œ ˙ n œ w ˙ ˙ ˙ n ˙ ˙ n ˙-- - --- -- -- -5 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

most

word, most

most ho ly word, most

most

word, most

word, to

ly word, to

ly word,

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. ˙ œ ‰ J œ wak en, a J œ . œ ˙ wak en. J œ . œ ˙ wak en. J œ œ ˙ wak en. œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ w ˙ a ˙ w f f F f f f f f f f F F F div. 24 J œ œ ˙ wak en. w w w 24 Œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ ˙ n w ˙ ˙ n ∑ rall. rall. F F F F F unis. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ w w w ∑ ∑ Più luminoso poco a poco (q = 60) P Più luminoso poco a poco (q = 60) P non dim. C C 26 ∑ ∑ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 Lord, may tongues which “Ho ly” sang be ∑ 26 ∑ ∑ w ˙ n œ œ a œ œ œ 3 ∑ F F-- -6 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. ∑ ∑ . œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj free from all de ceiv ing, may Ó Œ œ œ may ∑ ∑ w œ n œ n œ œ œ œ ∑ F 28 ∑ ∑ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 eyes which saw your love be œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 eyes which saw your love be 28 ∑ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ n ˙ ∑ F ∑ ∑ ˙ ˙ J œ œ ‰ œ œ œ 3 bright, heav en ly ˙ J œ ‰ œ œ œ 3 bright, heav en ly œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ . œ J œ w . ˙ œ Ó œ œ f f F F molto espressivo molto espressivo molto espressivo molto espressivo molto espressivo - - --7 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 30 ∑ ∑ . œ J œ J œ . œ hope per ceiv ing, . œ J œ J œ . œ hope per ceiv ing, 30 . œ J œ . œ J œ n œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n œ œ Œ œ œ and may Œ œ œ and may œ ‰ J œ per œ ‰ J œ per ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ F F F F div. . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ 3 3 3 feet that walked a long hal lowed courts from your . œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ 3 3 3 feet that walked a long hal lowed courts from your J œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ceiv ing; from your J œ n œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ ceiv ing; from your œ ˙ n ˙ ˙ n ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ ˙ . ˙ ˙ n ˙ œ D D unis.-----8 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

true light, from your œj . œ

true light, J œ œ . . œ œ Ó true light, J œ œ Ó true light, Ó œjœ‰

f f f f f

œjœ‰

unis.

œj n - œ‰

J œœ‰

œjœ‰

œjœ‰ Ó J œ - œ‰

J œ nœ‰

boldly boldly boldly boldly boldly

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& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 true

œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 true

˙ . . œœ ‰ true

˙ ˙ n œ ‰ true

œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ ˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n ˙

œ œ Œ ‰ œ œ 3

œ œ

œ œ œ œ

œ œ

light nev er be ban ished, from your

light,

f f f f f

f div.

true light, from your œj n . œ Œ ‰

3 true light, from your J œ . œ Œ ‰

3 true light, from your J œ n œ Œ ‰

3 true light, from your 34

œjœ‰

œ œ œ œ

9 Strengthen for Service

œœ Œ

Ó J œœ‰--

J

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 36 œ œ . . ˙ ˙ light œ œ . ˙ true light œ œ ˙ Ó ‰ J œ œ œ light ∑ 36 œ œ . ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ Ó ‰ J œ œ œ ∑ ∑ w w w w w w light œ œ . ˙ w w w w wœ œ . ˙ ∑ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ div. div. 38 Œ œ œ œ œ 3 nev er be Œ œ œ œ 3 nev er be Œ œ œ œ 3 nev er be Œ œ œ œ 3 nev er be 38 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

œ œ . . œ œ . . ˙ ˙ Œ ban

œ . œ œ . ˙ ˙ Œ ban

ished. œj

ished.

œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ Œ ban

ished.

œ . œ . ˙ Œ ban

∑ Œ Œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 ∑ f f f E E unis.---10 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

ished.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 40 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 40 Œ Œ ‰ œ J œ œ - œœ œ œ œ œ œ. ˙ 3 œ œ - œ3 œ œ œj œ œj ˙ - œ œ w œ œ w w œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ . œ - œj3 3 f f div. div. div. unis. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ˙. œ J œ w˙œ J œ ww wwƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ unis. 42 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 42 . ˙ Œ . ˙ Œ . ˙ ˙ Œ . . ˙ ˙ Œ . ˙ Œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ . œ œj . œ œj . œ œj ∑ ∑ P P P sub. sub. sub. unis. 44 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 44 ˙ . œ œj w œ ˙ œ w w w P P sub. sub. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ˙ œ œw ˙ ˙ w w w poco rall. poco rall. p p p p non dim. 11 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. Ó Œ œ May ∑ ∑ ∑ w ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ Serene q = 55 P Serene q = 55 F F œj œ œ œ œ n œ œ 3 bod ies by your Bod y Œ œ n œœ œœ œœ œ n œ 3 May bod ies by your Ó Œ œ n œ by your ∑ w w n ∑ ∑ ∑ P π P π 48 J œ œ ‰ œj œ n œ fed be with your œ n œ n œœ Œ Bod y fed œ œ œ n œ œ œ Bod y fed be with your ∑ 48 . ˙ Œ . ˙ Œ ∑ ∑ ∑ niente niente œ œ # œ ‰ œj new life, your ˙ œ J ˙ n œ œnew life, your ˙ . œ ‰ new life, ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ F F poco accel. poco accel. --12 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. 50 œ œ œ ‰ œj new life, your your ˙ œ J ˙ . œ ‰ new life, œ J œ œ œ new life, your Ó Œ œ your 50 Ó Œ ‰ œj J ∑ Ó Œ œ Ó Œ œ ∑ f f F f f unis. f f div. ˙ . œ œj new life re ˙ œ œ new life . ˙ œ new ˙ œ œ œ new life re ˙ œ œ new life re ˙ . œ œj ˙ œ œ . ˙ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ Œ œ - œœf f f œj œ . ˙ plen

. œ J œ ˙ re plen . œ œj ˙ ˙ life re plen ˙ ˙ plen w plen œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w ˙ ˙ w w

. ˙ Œ . ˙

. .

. ˙ Œ

Œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ

˙ œ œ ˙

F F F F 54 ∑ ∑ . ˙ œ A ∑ 54 J œ œ J œ œ œ ‰ J œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ n w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n F F F F F----13 Strengthen

ished.

Confidently q = 60 Confidently q = 60

G unis. div. unis. div.

ished.

˙˙ Œ ished. ˙ Œ ished.

ished.

w unis.

for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

div. unis.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. Ó ‰ œ œj A J A ∑ . ˙ Œ men. Ó œ œ A J œ n œ J œ . œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ w ˙ ˙ ˙ n ˙ F F 56 . ˙ œ ‰ œ n œj œ œ A ˙ ˙ A . ˙ n œ œ œ n ˙ 56 . œ œ œ n œ . œ J œ ‰ œj n œ œ n œ œ œ œ n w ˙ ˙ . ˙ n œ œ n œ n ˙ F div. . œ n œj œ œ J ˙ ˙ ˙ n ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ . œ J œ # œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ w ˙ ˙ n ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ f 58 w men . œ ‰ ˙ men, A . œ # ‰ ˙ ˙ men, A w w men. w men. 58 . ˙ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ w w w w f f f f f f f f

- - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - -14 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

& & V ? & & B ? ? # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # S A T B Vln. I Vln. II Vla. Vc. D.B. w w men. ww men. w w w . ˙ œ œ . Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n w ˙ ˙ œ œ w P p F F P P P unis. div. div. 60 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 60 œ . ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ w ˙ ˙ ∑ F F F unis. div. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ w Œ œ œ ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w ˙ ˙ ∑ rall. rall. 62 Ó Ó U Ó Ó U Ó Ó U Ó Ó U 62 ˙ Ó U ˙ ˙ Ó U ˙ ˙ ˙ U ˙ Ó U Ó Ó U ∑ U ∑ U ∑ U ∑ U w w U w U w w U w U w U π π π π π unis. div. 15 Strengthen for Service This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.