Free Lenten Motet: Exaltabo Te, Domine • Richardson
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    https://psallitedomino.com/blog/free-lenten-motet-exaltabo-te-domine-2025

    TL;DR:
    SATB, latin refrain with english verses. (Could have latin verses substituted for VO)
    Suitable for all of Lent, especially Ash Wednesday (offertory or distribution of ashes).

    Quick to learn, and comprehensive practice tracks available here:
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk71GctqoFYw0Q4KyBFS5uFmoYlZZ0i0j

    Demo: https://youtu.be/AhoK1H22f9w
    Thanked by 8CHGiffen sdtalley3 Mattspmusic0320 Joseph Michael jhpainter Xopheros Verbum_Gloriae probe
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    Not meaning to bump, but I wanted to say that I've now uploaded a version that is completely in Latin, and a Spanish version is forthcoming later this morning.

    So the total offerings will be:
    • Latin Antiphon with English verses
    • Latin Antiphon with Latin Verses
    • Spanish Antiphon with Spanish Verses

    You can thank Marc Cerisier for his help adapting the work into Spanish. It was his idea and he helped provide me the text with proper syllabification for proper placement and word-stress.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    Just a friendly reminder that this exists, and is free. Happy Lenting!
    Thanked by 1probe
  • Heath
    Posts: 991
    James, this is lovely! Looks like all you're missing now is an English-English version. ;)
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 370
    That was awesome, James! Wow! That choir performance was fire! :)
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores achoyce91
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    Dr. Raber sent that recording to me out of the blue last year and I nearly had a heart attack. It was *chef’s kiss* perfection. One of the happiest days of my life lol. It was the first time that I ever heard the music that I can hear in my head, so perfectly rendered in the real world, outside of my head (and totally apart from me).
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen JacobFlaherty Xopheros achoyce91
  • jhpainter
    Posts: 2
    The first motet our small-town volunteer choir learned. We sang it twice last year and will do the same this year for Lent. Love it!
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • probe
    Posts: 100
    Beautiful - it must be a very satisfying sing.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • Xopheros
    Posts: 97
    A fine example that the most simple music can be the most touching. The choir has some amazingly low basses, which add sonority to the unisono sections sung in octaves.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • StPatrick
    Posts: 12
    Maybe it's just me, a very new choral conductor and music director, but it really intimidates me when there's no notated rhythm for each word, and I don't know how to conduct it or how to keep my choir together, no matter how simple the harmony is!
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,365
    Breves are often used for text sung on the same pitch. The syllables get what is essentially an eighth note, which is too clunky to write out IMHO. You can use other values to represent the syllables where a breve is overkill; this happens sometimes in falsobordone editions for modern choirs since the psalm verses are of variable length. Then as you see here it goes into time at cadences. Or you can give a gesture that’s more familiar if it’s Renaissance music and you see that.

    I just sort of give the beat like it’s chant (not with arsis and thesis but just the basic ictus) and then cue if needed when you have something like a suspension in the part.
    Thanked by 1probe
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    Ask and ye shall receive. Here is a video demonstrating my philosophy on how to conduct this piece. I sprechstimme my way through it showing where I give cues and pulses.

    https://youtu.be/PH0fEGzsSVk
  • StPatrick
    Posts: 12
    Wow, James!! Thank you so much! I brought the score to my trusty alto and she was way better at interpreting it than I was. She basically did what you did with the accents. But now I know what to do with my hands!! I feel very much my lack of training in conducting. I will be watching that video many times. Really appreciate it!
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,224
    I’m so glad it helped! (Others too, apparently. It’s been viewed more than my average video.)
  • Joseph Michael
    Posts: 260
    Wow! Thanks so much! Wonderful! We will definitely sing this at our EF and OF Masses. And, the QR code linking to the practice tracks is the best thing since sliced bread.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • achoyce91achoyce91
    Posts: 186
    Stunning piece. And you have quite the YouTube following! Nice. : D
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
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