In this song of despair and hope, the words inspire the music. Behind a soulful, plaintive solo, the accompaniment starts very sparse but gradually thickens into rich and flowing harmonies with a surprise Dorian flavor at just the right moments. The third verse builds into a triumphant maestoso at “I’m goin’ there to see my savior.” But the final phrases remind us that we are not there yet, and there is a long way to go. Even so, the piece ends on a hopeful note.

The voicing of the SATB version is SATB + solo, with a bit of divisi in the soprano and bass. The SSAA version is SSAA + solo, but in the third verse the choir has a five-part SSSAA split, without a solo.

I was commissioned by the Intrepid Brass to arrange a version for solo trombone and brass quintet.