I Give You A New Commandment Non-US copyright

SATB and organ. Text from John 13:34-35, and the Liber Usualis. Incorporates the Latin hymn Ubi caritas along with the English Gospel text.

Notes: A very useful and effective anthem which can be performed by a small or large choir. The tempo of the whole piece must be dictated by a suitable speed for the plainsong starting at bar 21. The ‘Ubi caritas’ melody is worth practicing in detail with the men alone as it may be unfamiliar to some singers. The opening soprano/alto section should be gentle but not too quiet with the words well defined: ‘commandment’ must sound strong enough to be a commandment rather than just a suggestion. Singing an ‘ah’ vowel on the word ‘love’ is key to maintaining the pitch and expressing the meaning of the text.