Ecce Sacerdos Magnus

antiphon for a bishop (L)

Choral level of difficulty: 1 (5 greatest)

This impressive piece was written for the consecration of the Bishop of Aberdeen in Aberdeen Cathedral. The text (in Latin) is highly appropriate: ‘Behold the great priest who in his days pleased God.’ It is extremely simple but is given an added sense of occasion by the pair of trumpets which begin the work with a chant-like fanfare in octaves. There are three verses, all the same except for the slight alteration which the different word underlay necessitates. The piece ends with a Gloria Patri.

Repertoire note by Paul Spicer