Augsburg Fortress

Gathered Chosen, God's Creation

Gathered Chosen, God's CreationGathered Chosen, God's Creation

Gathered Chosen, God's Creation

by Andrew Birling (Arranger)
A new text centered around the acts of gathering for worship, sharing the meal, and being sent out into the world is paired with the familiar hymn tune OMNI DIE. The C instrument part, varied harmonizations, and optional congregational stanza for assembly participation add interest to this anthem.
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  • Publisher Augsburg Fortress
  • Format Sheet Music
  • ISBN 9781506413877
  • Brand Augsburg Choral Library
  • Dimensions 7 x 10.25
  • Pages 12
  • Season/Occasion Communion; Easter; General
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Voicing SATB/4-part mixed
  • Publication Date March 3, 2016

Composer Commentary

This text was written while traveling on a plane for a job interview. As a technical exercise, I thought it would be interesting to begin each new stanza with the last word of the previous stanza. As I worked the text, the image of seed being first gathered and then scattered paired well with the ritual action of worship: we are gathered for worship, we are reminded of God’s grace, we share the meal, and we are sent out into the world.
 
The arrangement began as an assignment for the composition class taught by David Cherwien for the Master of Sacred Music program at Luther Seminary. A fair bit of revision after the conclusion of the class brings the setting to where it is now. In my ear, I hear an oboe playing the C instrument part, though flute or violin would work just as well. The piece is dedicated to Paul Westermeyer, who chaired the MSM program at Luther, as well as my fellow alumni from the program.
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