Ko Matsushita Exsultate justi in Domino

Reflecting the psalm text, the composer Matsushita constantly finds new ways of expressing the praise of God. In the swinging rhythm of the 6/8 meter, with its dotted rhythms full of brio and binary pulse in counterpoint, with flashing dissonances through the almost oriental use of chromatic intervals, with sharply juxtaposed bitonal chords, and with the consonant-rich text, rapidly sung, the composer achieves an impressive, virtuoso showpiece which accomplished choirs can use to show off the full range of their abilities. Along the way Matsushita never writes unnecessarily complicated music, but music which is always based on his own practical experience as a choral director. In a rondo-like form he finds a parallel for the repetitions of unceasing praise. Matsushita sets the text syllabically throughout, but uses its tonal colors to give character to the individual sections. For example, the fanfare-like opening motif alternates with a crescendo section, which draws its energy from the contrast between declamatory vocal parts over a pedal point in diminished and augmented leaps of a third, fourth and fifth. Voice range: S: c' - b'' / A: as° - e'' / T: c° - gis' / B: F- e'