As this year comes to a close, take a look back at new recordings of Copland’s music released in 2020.
Read more- Title
- Four Motets
- For
- unaccompanied mixed chorus (SATB)
- Alternate Titles
- Motets (Alternate/Synonymous)
- Quatre Motets (Alternate/Synonymous)
- Year Composed
- 1921
- ARCO Number(s)
- 4
- Category
- Choral
- Duration
- 13'
- Text Information
- Bible
- Songs
- 1. Help Us, O Lord
- 2. Thou, O Jehovah, abideth forever
- 3. Have Mercy on Us, O My Lord
- 4. Sing Ye Praises to Our King
- Premiere
- World: Fontainebleau, October 15th, 1924 (Paris-American-Gargenville Chorus, cond. Melville Smith)
- Publisher
- Boosey & Hawkes
- Publishing Status
- Published
Buying Options
Boosey & HawkesProgram Note
Nadia Boulanger required her pupils to learn to compose traditional forms, among them the motet. Written under her instruction, Copland's motets make use of biblical texts for an a capella chorus of mixed voices. He wrote, "I think of these as student pieces that show some influence of Moussorgsky, whom I admired. I agreed to their publication with mixed emotions. While they have a certain curiosity value — perhaps people want to know what I was doing as a student — the style is not yet really mine."
- Author
- Vivian Perlis
- Year
- 1998