This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Burton
Staff Notation • Sacred, Set pieces
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Barry Johnston
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Burton by Elisha West — Lyrics
Psalmus Asaph. Quam bonus Israël Deus, his qui recto sunt corde!
Mei autem pene moti sunt pedes, pene effusi sunt gressus mei:
quia zelavi super iniquos, pacem peccatorum videns.
Quia non est respectus morti eorum, et firmamentum in plaga eorum.
In labore hominum non sunt, et cum hominibus non flagellabuntur.
Ideo tenuit eos superbia; operti sunt iniquitate et impietate sua.
Prodiit quasi ex adipe iniquitas eorum; transierunt in affectum cordis.
Cogitaverunt et locuti sunt nequitiam; iniquitatem in excelso locuti sunt.
Posuerunt in caelum os suum, et lingua eorum transivit in terra.
Ideo convertetur populus meus hic, et dies pleni invenientur in eis.
Et dixerunt: Quomodo scit Deus, et si est scientia in excelso?
Ecce ipsi peccatores, et abundantes in saeculo obtinuerunt divitias.
Et dixi: Ergo sine causa justificavi cor meum, et lavi inter innocentes manus meas,
eEt fui flagellatus tota die, et castigatio mea in matutinis.
Si dicebam: Narrabo sic;
ecce nationem filiorum tuorum reprobavi.
Existimabam ut cognoscerem hoc; labor est ante me:
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About Burton
This setting for SATB voices opens with an immediate sense of the music's character, the interplay of the voices creating a rich texture. The composer Elisha West uses both Latin and English texts, creating a contrast in the musical setting. The Latin Psalm 73 is a lament concerning the prosperity of the wicked and the apparent abandonment of the righteous. The musical setting reflects the psalm's questioning and troubled mood. The English text, though not provided here, would likely offer a parallel or complementary expression, allowing the choir to explore different facets of the sacred text through varied musical approaches and languages.
