Bryars, Gavin: Psalm 141

for mixed choir a cappella

Gavin Bryars has written prolifically for choirs of all abilities in a range of styles, from his sombre 'Cadman Requiem' to his uplifting song 'The Open Road', written for and performed by 300 people who had experienced homelessness. Bryars' fourth psalm setting, Psalm 141, is a beautiful and languid setting of the King James Bible translation, written shortly after the four hundredth anniversary of the 1611 publication. The work is scored for a cappella mixed choir with some divisi and was first performed by Ars Nova Copenhagen. In using the English version of the text, Bryars strives to make the words clear and highlight their poetic beauty, making this an ideal setting for liturgical use as well as concert performance for any size choir.