Set Me As A Seal: SATB Choral Octavo

Muhly's setting respects the profound text while offering singers genuine musical interest across all four voices. The harmonic language is modern yet singable, avoiding both conservative predictability and avant-garde extremism. Choirs consistently report that this piece resonates deeply with audiences and remains engaging in rehearsal.

The piece unfolds with quiet intensity, creating an atmosphere of intimate contemplation. Muhly's harmonies shift with subtle sophistication, drawing listeners into a meditative space where each chord feels both inevitable and surprising.

This octavo works for advanced high school choirs and college ensembles seeking contemporary sacred repertoire that avoids cliché. It also serves musicians exploring modern choral writing without technical obstacles that would compromise musicality.

• Balance the inner voices carefully. Muhly often places musical material in the altos and tenors that would be lost if the sopranos and basses dominate.
• Shape phrases through harmonic rhythm rather than conventional metric downbeats. Let the harmonic movement guide your interpretation.
• Treat the text with clarity and intention. The spiritual weight of the poem demands articulation and line that illuminate meaning.

Include this alongside other contemporary sacred settings to demonstrate how modern composers engage with timeless texts. It pairs naturally with both Renaissance motets and minimalist works, offering a bridge between historical and contemporary approaches to spirituality in choral music.

• Reading and performing modern harmonic language
• Balancing texture across all four voices in non-traditional voice leading
• Connecting textual meaning to compositional choices
• Sustaining legit vocal tone while navigating wider intervallic leaps