Featuring soprano Grace Davidson, 'I Will Hold Him' is the 3rd track on the album 'Winter Light', recorded by London Voices, conducted by Ben Parry, released on Signum Records in October 2024.
Words & music: Joanna Forbes L'Estrange
Scoring: SATB (unaccompanied)
Duration: 3:30
Difficulty: easy
COMPOSER NOTE
I took as my inspiration for this piece a wonderfully evocative painting by my friend the Reverend Ally Barrett depicting the annunciation. The central figure of Mary is flanked on the left by the angel of God whose wings embrace her and the right by a dove, representing the Holy Spirit. Ally explained to me her thinking behind the painting: "Mary is able to be overwhelmed but not obliterated by the Holy Spirit because the same God who calls her is also holding her and giving her strength. Likewise, she can hold Jesus because she herself is held." I was particularly struck by the second part which gave me my title of "I will hold him" and around which I constructed the text, culminating in the voice of Mary praying to God, saying "I will hold Him as Thou holdest me."
Beginning with the familiar story of the angel Gabriel coming to Galilee to bring Mary the news that she will near God's son, the verses thereafter take the form of a conversation between Gabriel (Tenors and Basses) and Mary (Sopranos and Altos). The turning point comes in verse 5 when Mary repeats the words which the angel has just spoken but in the first person, indicating her willingness to accept God's calling.
For the final section of the piece, Mary, now represented by a solo soprano (Grace Davidson, in this recording), communes directly with God through prayer. The metre changes from folky 6/8 to a freer colla voce at which point the choir resumes its verse 1 role of narrator.
N.B. The solo line is ideally performed by a woman or a girl treble, since it represents the voice of Mary.
I am grateful to Revd Ally Barrett for providing the inspiration for this piece which I hope choirs will enjoy singing as part of their Christmas concerts and services.
Sheet music from RSCM www.rscmshop.c...
CREDITS
London Voices, conducted by Ben Parry
Soprano soloist - Grace Davidson
Engineer - Al Forbes
Producer - Alexander L'Estrange
Videographer - Tom Mungall
Recorded at St Barnabas Church, Ealing, London, May 2024
#winterlightalbum
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