Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Composer
Works published by MoV
The Lord is Good (2 soprano soloists, SATB)
The Lord is Good (2 soprano soloists, SATB)
The Lord is Good was commissioned by Oxford choir Sospiri for their Naxos recording of settings of texts from the Lamentations of Jeremiah.
I chose verses in order to bring a sense of hope and longing rather than drawing from texts filled with desolation and deep despair. I have used the Latin phrase from Hosea, ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum’, with which Tallis concludes each of his Lamentations. The two soprano solos open the work with long intertwining melismatic phrases on the word, ‘Jerusalem’. In performance the two voices should be placed to sound distant, ethereal and to bring a sense of longing. These elaborate lines lie above the slow moving, expressive chordal passages sung by the choir. In the lighter textured middle section the men intone the Latin phrase as if chanting and the work slowly proceeds to an impassioned climax before making a strong affirmation with the words, ‘The Lord is Good’. The soloists’ lines rise above the final chord, suspended, as if in hope. (Cecilia McDowall)
The Lord is Good (2 soprano soloists, SATB)
This work is published in our anthology Volume 1
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(August 2025)
Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Based in London, Cecilia McDowall is perhaps best known for her choral works, though her output extends far beyond this and into the realm of organ music. She has won many awards including the British Composer Award Choral category in 2014 for her haunting work, Night Flight. McDowall’s distinctive style fuses fluent melodic lines with occasional dissonant harmonies and rhythmic exuberance. Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading choirs and artists, including the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, Oxford and Cambridge choirs, ensembles, and at festivals worldwide. One of her most recent CDs has been recorded by William Fox on Naxos of her entire organ catalogue published by OUP. Hyperion has released a CD of her choral and organ music performed by The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, conductor, Stephen Layton. In December 2020 McDowall was presented with the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for ‘outstanding works collection’ for a ‘consistently excellent body of work’. This was a ‘gift’ from The Ivors Academy.
©CMcD2025