Arnesen, Kim André: Jubilate Deo

In Jubilate Deo Kim André Arnesen goes back to the music to which he was introduced from a very early age as a chorister at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. There he sang regularly in concerts and services, and many of his favourite works come from the repertoire for choir and organ. Although the composer has not written a lot for those forces, they are perfect for the character and emotions portrayed in this piece. The joy and exuberance of the music reflects the Latin text (the opening two verses of Psalm 100: ‘Rejoice in God, all the earth’, and verses from Psalm 57: ‘I will sing and make music’), with dancing, syncopated rhythms and a more solemn, soothing middle section. A real showstopper, made even more effective by the optional percussion (tambourine and hand drum – an extracted percussion part is included in the vocal score).