PSALM OFFERING 9 Opus 6
I dedicate this Psalm Offering to my son, Luke. Of all our children, Luke has had to face the most challenges in life. Born with a visual disability and Aspergers, Luke has never allowed himself to be limited by these challenges, whether it be learning to ride a bicycle, or graduating from Vocational School with a degree as an audio studio technician. Luke is an excellent musician, his specialty being the guitar. His musical skills are extraordinary whether it be playing Hendrix or Page or Clapton. While he rarely plays for an audience, Ruthie and I have had the joy of listening as Luke performs in his room. When I feel in need of courage, I look to Luke, whose life is a source of courage for me.
The music for this Psalm Offering is modeled off of that of the late Renaissance Period dance form called a Courante. The Courante was a dance in triple meter and was played at a fast tempo. The literal translation of Courante is “running.” The Renaissance Courante was described as a fast, jumping style of dancing. In the Baroque Period, the French Courante was a slow, stately dance of the Royal Court. However, the Italians preferred it to be considerably faster in tempo.
The music is composed in a strong, fast tempo in triple meter (3/4 time) and is in three-part, A,B,A form. Though the variations of melody A and B change from dotted rhythm to triplets, to running 16th note arpeggios, the strong feeling of three beats is maintained throughout the music. The music has a joyful lift to it, much the same as the joyful lift Luke has given to me in life.
