Michael John Trotta: To First Seek the Kingdom: Chœur Mixte et Piano/Orgue

This is the kind of piece that might sound more difficult than it is. Michael Trotta employs an economy of choral writing: The SATB parts are sometimes unison, move often by steps, are repeated in the outer sections, and have only occasional divisi in the treble voices. The text is an innovative combination of Old and New Testament passages, put in a question-and-answer format with the question sung in a subdued matter and the answer intensifying in range, complexity, and volume. The piano and flute parts flow more quickly than the voices—save for a short, contrasting middle section—and provide an underlying momentum to this expressive work. Duration: 4:30