Psalm Prelude

Psalm Prelude (2010) is a short work based on the Jewish Hinei ma tov, a folk melody setting of Psalm 133. Through much of the piece, the melody is fragmented and tossed between the left and right hands. The piece closes with a straightforward setting of the melody, richly harmonized. This treatment echoes the text of the psalm, which speaks of “dwelling together in unity ”.

Psalm Prelude was commissioned by the American Guild of Organists, San Francisco Chapter, for the Region IX Convention, July, 2011.