Praise the Lord with Psaltery Op. 222 for SATB Choir, Winds and Percussion (Vocal Score): Choral Works (inc. Oratorios)

Hovhaness writes vocal music that sits naturally in the choir voice while maintaining genuine compositional interest; the instrumental accompaniment supports rather than overwhelms, making this accessible for community and school choirs with modest wind and percussion sections. The modal harmonic language and rhythmic simplicity invite singers to focus on line and ensemble balance, while the spiritual character lifts the whole piece beyond technical exercise.

The opening unfolds like a hymn or chant, serene and meditative, built from gentle overlapping voices and instrumental shimmers. As the piece progresses, the texture deepens without becoming dense, creating a sense of ascending or expanding spiritual space that feels reverent but alive.

This work suits SATB choirs with access to basic wind and percussion instruments (or willing to use piano or organ as a bridge solution during rehearsals). It works equally well in church, concert hall, or educational settings where the ensemble values musical substance over technical virtuosity.

• Treat the psaltery reference literally by considering how the wind and percussion parts create a shimmering, sustained harmonic foundation; clarity and blend in the accompaniment will anchor the choral sound.
• Approach dynamics with restraint. Hovhaness achieves power through unified ensemble singing rather than volume; mark your score where the choir can sing with presence at moderate dynamics and still carry the room.
• Balance the SATB voicing by emphasizing sustained melodic lines in the outer voices; inner parts often support harmonic color rather than double the tune, so inner voice singers need clear independence.
• Let the text and harmonic movement dictate phrasing rather than bar lines. The modal language creates natural phrase shapes that may not align with the written measures.

Program this as a concert centerpiece or as part of a sacred or thematic program pairing well with other modal or liturgical works. Its modest demands on both choir and accompaniment ensemble make it ideal for mid-year performance when groups are still building confidence.

• Sustaining long vocal lines in modal harmony without relying on chordal anchors
• Balancing independent inner voices that carry harmony rather than double melody
• Responding to ensemble text and breath phrasing rather than strict metered phrasing
• Understanding how sparse orchestration can intensify rather than diminish choral presence