Chorale Prelude: O God Unseen
General Info
Year: 1985
Duration: c. 8:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Elkan Vogel, Inc / Theodore Preser Company
Cost: Score and Parts - $55.00 | Score Only - $2.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet (required, important part)
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
Alto Sax I-II
Tenor Sax
Baritone Sax
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass Drum
- Cymbal (suspended)
- Snare Drum (medium)
- Tam-Tam
- Tenor Drum
- Triangle (medium)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Commissioned by the North Carolina Bandmasters Association (Eastern Division) for the University of East Carolina Wind Ensemble and Herbert Carter, Chorale Prelude: O God Unseen was Vincent Persichetti's final work for band. Based on the composer's sixteenth chorale from Hymns and Responses for the Church Year (based on a text by Edward Osler), the work is a serene, calm, reflective meditation on Persichetti's last days. When commissioned, Herbert Carter asked Persichetti not to write a part for alto clarinet, as the ensemble did not have a player for the part. Either through miscommunication or mischief, Persichetti ended up writing much of the lyrical line for the alto clarinet (doubled by the flute).
-Program Note by Nikk Pilato
Media
State Ratings
- Florida: V
- Texas: V
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- The Hartt Wind Ensemble (West Hartford, Conn.) (John R. "Rusty" Koenig, conductor) - 30 September 2023
- Swarthmore (Penn.) College Wind Ensemble (Andrew Hauze, conductor) – 14 April 2018
- University of Georgia Concert Winds (Nikk Pilato, conductor) - 28 April 2011
- Florida State University Symphonic Band (Nikk Pilato, conductor) - Spring 2006
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Bagatelles for Band (1961)
- Celebrations (1966)
- Chorale Prelude: O God Unseen (1984)
- Chorale Prelude: So Pure the Star (1963)
- Chorale Prelude: Turn Not Thy Face (1963/1968)
- Divertimento for Band (1953)
- A Lincoln Address (1959/1974)
- Masquerade for Band (1965)
- O Cool Is the Valley (1971)
- O God Unseen. See: Chorale Prelude: O God Unseen
- Pageant (1953)
- Pageant (ed. Tokke) (1953/c. 2019)
- Parable IX (1974)
- Pastoral (1943/1951)
- Psalm for Band (1953)
- Serenade for Band (1960)
- Serenade No 1 (1929/1963)
- Serenade No. 11. See: Serenade for Band
- So Pure the Star
- Symphony for Band (1956)