O taste and see - Neil Sands



Duration: 2'30"
Ensemble: Optional unison choir soloist organ
Grading: Easy/Medium
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CMP246 Full score £1.50
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O taste and see is a motet for use at communion. It is similar in feel to a stately procession, reminiscent of the cerdd dant music of Wales.

The piece is written with those choirs in mind who, perhaps lacking numbers in all voice parts, need to play it safe. The choir's part consists of the words 'Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus', sung in unison, and repeated in each of the three verses. It can even be omitted altogether, as the organ can incorporate the choir's part if desired.

On the other hand, there is plenty for a soloist to get her or his teeth into. Her part is very different in each of the three verses, becoming progressively more challenging in each one. The melodic lines contain some unpredictable intervals, but are always supported by the chord progression provided by the organ, making them very satisfying to sing.

The soloist's words are from Psalm 34 in the Tyndale translation, the first translation of the Bible to appear in English. The fragments used here include 'O taste and see how gracious the Lord is'.