N° 018  
Title: Psalm 141
Style: -Classical arrangement
-Expressive piece

Composer: Jules Van NUFFEL  
Arranger: Pascal DEVROYE
For: Wind band - Fanfare
Grade level: 3+
Duration: 6'30"
Price code: 10 ( Euros)
CD: "Earthquake"
Comments: This challenging arrangement will give pleasure and awake emotions. All the ingredients are combined to produce music eminently suited for performance in church. Appealing harmony, modulations, phrasing, and an (ad lib.) mixed choir for 8 voices make this arrangement a musical delight.

The composition was originally written by Jules Van Nuffel for an 8 part a-cappella mixed choir. This version is for wind band with or without choir.

A few words about the composer : Jules Van Nuffel was born at Hemiksem on 21st March, 1883. He was prepared for the priesthood at the Grand Seminary of Mechelen, where he also studied piano, violin, organ, harmony and counterpoint. Later he founded St. Rombouts' Choir, whose leader he was until 1949. This choir was one of the most famous in Belgium. Jules Van Nuffel was a self-taught composer who wrote hymns and motets from his earliest years. His favourite composers were Bach, Wagner and Debussy. Because of his admiration for religious music he dedicated his life to chants and choral work. He loved rich harmonies, chromaticism, modulation and enharmonic change. From 1918 until 1953 Jules Van Nuffel was principal of the Lemmens Institute at Mechelen (today at Leuven). Here he established courses for both composition and music education. He attached great importance to the quality of vocal training and choir leadership. Moreover it was he who opened the doors of the Lemmens institute to women and saw that its diplomas were officially accepted as equal to those of the royal conservatories.

After a long illness Jules Van Nuffel died on 25th June, 1953 at Wilrijk.

Here follows the text from the Psalm 141 subtitled VOCE MEA AD DOMINUM CLAMEVI

1 LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my works; for they are sweet.

7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.