O Gracious Light

While this ancient Greek evening hymn text Phos hilaron is set for a cappella SATB divisi voices, it is within the reach of most mixed-voice choirs. Michael John Trotta makes tasteful use of seconds in the harmonies, lending a modern sound to the largely homophonic writing. A contrasting middle section assigns a rhythmic melody to the sopranos and builds to a climax before returning to the original “unhurried” material. Observing the dynamic and tempo variations will ensure an expressive performance.