Justin Appel

Dear Friends,

Today’s Old Testament reading, Isaiah 44:1-8, contains a particularly evocative picture:

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
(verses 3-4)

This imagery of God’s Spirit flowing like water in the desert relates to the introduction of Psalm 42:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
(verses 1-2)

Of course, the opening verses of this psalm have been favored by many composers, but one of the most poignant settings is by John Tavener (1490-1545), the organist and choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

This wonderful motet unfolds in two parts, one for each of the first two verses of the psalm. The opening notes reveal an economy of motion and materials that speaks eloquently of the souls longing for God’s presence.

You can listen to Quemadmodum sung by the Gesualdo Six here, and I hope this music brings some beauty and truth to your day.

Yours in Christ,
Justin