Like As The Hart: SATB Choral Octavo

Muhly's setting of this sacred text brings fresh harmonic language to a familiar liturgical subject, avoiding the predictable gestures that can weigh down choral arrangements. The piece balances accessibility with genuine compositional craft, giving singers something worth digging into musically without requiring virtuosic technical demands. It's the kind of work that reminds audiences why contemporary choral music matters.

The piece unfolds with quiet contemplation, its harmonies creating a sense of spiritual seeking rather than affirmation. Muhly's orchestration of voices suggests instrumental thinking; individual lines intersect and part like strands of sound, creating textural depth that keeps the ear engaged throughout its arc.

This octavo suits choirs with solid harmonic awareness and the ability to manage contemporary notational practices. It works equally well for community choirs seeking quality repertoire beyond standard arrangements and professional ensembles looking to expand their contemporary sacred catalog.

• Pay close attention to Muhly's harmonic voice leading within each section; the soprano and alto lines often carry independent melodic shapes that shouldn't be obscured by blending.
• Shape phrases according to the text's natural speech rhythms rather than imposing traditional hymnic phrasing; this reveals Muhly's rhythmic intentions.
• Allow space between major harmonic shifts to let the listener absorb the sonority before moving forward.
• Balance dynamic markings precisely, as subtle shifts in volume serve as architectural markers in the form.

Program this alongside other contemporary sacred works to create a thoughtful liturgical or concert context that speaks to modern listeners. It also serves as an excellent foil to Renaissance or Baroque settings of the same text, illuminating how different eras approach spiritual questions through music.

• Singing independent melodic lines within complex harmonic contexts
• Understanding contemporary harmonic language and voice leading
• Responding to modern notational practices
• Shaping text-driven phrasing in non-traditional meters and rhythmic patterns