Four Motets - Paul Schoenfeld

Composer: Paul Schoenfeld (formerly Paul Schoenfield) Instrumentation: SATB chorus (divisi) unaccompanied Duration: Approx. 12 minutes Date Written: 1995 Commissioned by: Chanticleer, The Dale Warland Singers, The Phoenix Bach Choir, and La Vie with a grant from the Meet the Composer/Reader's Digest Commissioning Program, in partnership with the NEA and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. Program Notes Based on Psalm 86, the neo-renaissance Four Motets was written by Paul Schoenfield in 1995. Each motet describes an aspect of a servant of God. In the first motet, the psalmist refers to his destitution, which is a poverty of good deeds. Despite his lack of merit, the psalmist seeks Divine favor. The expectation itself is an expression of service. As the noted 19th century scholar, Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, comments, the goal of prayer is not so much to attain the desired help as to reassure oneself of God's nearness. In the second verse, the psalmist declares: "for I dedicate myself to you.