The Presence

Written for the Choir of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, The Presence sets lines from Psalms 18, 27, 36, 112, and 119. It was inspired by A. E. Borthwick's painting of the same title, which hangs in St Mary's, and the texts chosen are mainly concerned with light. The performance directions used - 'luminous', 'resonant', 'dark', 'ethereal' - express the setting's intense atmosphere and almost visual sense of space and lustre. While suitable for services and concerts throughout the year, The Presence is especially appropriate for performance during Advent.