Let Them Praise the Name of the Lord Op. 160a: Choral Works (inc. Oratorios)

Hovhaness gives choirs text that matters. This setting of Psalm 148 carries genuine spiritual weight without demanding extreme ranges or technical gymnastics from your singers, making it accessible for developing choirs while sounding substantive in concert. The harmonic language is distinctive enough to catch an audience's ear and rewarding enough to keep singers engaged through the learning process.

The music unfolds with meditative stillness, drawing its harmonic palette from Armenian sacred music. There is an unhurried quality to the setting, inviting singers and listeners into a space of reverence rather than drama.

This octavo works well for high school choirs and adult community choirs seeking spiritually grounded repertoire that sits comfortably in modest ranges. It is especially suited to programs with time to explore music rooted in non-Western harmonic traditions.

• Attend to the modal harmonic language; this music rewards clear vowel shapes and sustained tone across phrase arcs rather than vibrato-heavy singing.
• Balance the text with the music's contemplative pace; Hovhaness often uses syllabic settings, so diction clarity will carry the psalm's meaning without sacrificing legibility.
• Layer dynamics carefully to support the rising arc of praise in Psalm 148 without overshooting into volume that obscures the harmonic color.

This works beautifully in a concert pairing with other world music or spiritually centered choral works. It is equally effective as a concert opener that establishes a contemplative mood or as part of a thematic program exploring prayer and praise across cultures.

• Reading modal harmonic progressions and understanding non-traditional chord relationships
• Sustaining legit tone across longer phrases without relying on excessive vibrato
• Balancing clarity of text with the demands of Eastern harmonic color
• Interpretation of spiritual texts through unfamiliar musical language