ME = Moderately Easy
M = Medium
MD = Moderately Difficult
D = Difficult
May This Be a Working Alleluia (Lyric by the composer)
unison children's choir, SATB and piano, with optional parts for flute and 2 trumpets - SEA-098-00 - $3.75/copy5 minutes - M Commissioned by Watertown Evangelical Free Church and Trinity Lutheran Church of Watertown, as part of a Faith Partners Composer Residency, an ongoing project of the American Composers Forum funded by Bremer Bank.
A festive piece for combined adult and children's choirs, with a thought-provoking lyric celebrating the progression from Gratitude to Work, to Healing, to our shared Joy. Opening with a simple unison line sung by the children, this hymn of praise builds to an irrepressible outpouring of alleluias. This 5-minute work may be performed with piano accompaniment alone, or with the addition of flute and two trumpets.
Composer's Note: The original performance of this piece also included a good set drummer, which is a fine choice if you have one handy.
May This Be a Working Alleluia - ScoreTrumpet Part (pdf download)
Flute Part (pdf download)
May This Be a Working Alleluia
As we celebrate the bounty we've been given this hour,
May this be a grateful alleluia.
For this day and this bread, for each seed and each flow'r,
May this be a grateful alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a grateful alleluia.
As our praises overflow and as our voices ring out,
May this be a working alleluia.
Let us roll up our sleeves; send it up with a shout!
May this be a working alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a working alleluia.
As we work to make this world a more compassionate place,
May this be a healing alleluia.
Bridging painful divides, bearing comfort and grace,
May this be a healing alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
May this be a healing alleluia.
As the love of God is offered to the world through our hands,
May this be a joyful alleluia.
As the broken is mended, and justice expands,
May this be a joyful alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a joyful alleluia.
May this be a grateful alleluia.
May this be a working alleluia.
Copyright 2010 by Elizabeth Alexander. All rights reserved.
As we celebrate the bounty we've been given this hour,
May this be a grateful alleluia.
For this day and this bread, for each seed and each flow'r,
May this be a grateful alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a grateful alleluia.
As our praises overflow and as our voices ring out,
May this be a working alleluia.
Let us roll up our sleeves; send it up with a shout!
May this be a working alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a working alleluia.
As we work to make this world a more compassionate place,
May this be a healing alleluia.
Bridging painful divides, bearing comfort and grace,
May this be a healing alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
May this be a healing alleluia.
As the love of God is offered to the world through our hands,
May this be a joyful alleluia.
As the broken is mended, and justice expands,
May this be a joyful alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let this be our prayer as we raise our voices to the Lord:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
May this be a joyful alleluia.
May this be a grateful alleluia.
May this be a working alleluia.
Copyright 2010 by Elizabeth Alexander. All rights reserved.
May This Be a Working Alleluia - Score
Scorch was designed by the folks who built Sibelius notation software, as a simple way to allow Sibelius scores to become webpages. Despite its slightly ominous name, Scorch is free, is not excessively large (approx. 1 MB), and does not do anything demonic like put you on a mailing list or affect other computer programs. - E.A.
If you can't see the score after the file finishes loading, click here to download the Scorch plug-in.
If you can't see the score after the file finishes loading, click here to download the Scorch plug-in.