Stravinsky

Yet another setting of the Lord's Prayer that I am including on my program is Stravinsky's setting. So simple on the page, so tough on the singers. I have yet to approach a decent singing of his chant-like composition with the conducting choir. Like so many things in life, simple is never easy.

The interesting thing about both the Tavener and the Stravinsky settings is that they have presented a communal prayer in an intimate way. Personal and individual yet inclusive of the entire body of Christ, regardless of country.

For the first time, I have been comparing the Matthew account of this prayer with the Luke account. Seems there is room for both group and single application of the words. Check it out. I am certainly not a theological expert on these passages, but with such a staple of Christianity, I intend to learn as much as I can about this particular prayer.

It does make me wonder how well Stravinsky knew it, how much he embraced of the theology behind it. Can a person do justice to a text musically without a thorough understanding of its intent? Probably not.

At any rate, this setting presents a number of choral challenges that I will be working on over the next few months. If done well, perhaps it will connect the hearts of the hearers with the heart of God. That is the goal, the hope, the desire.