Notre Père (Our Father), Op. 14, is a sacred motetbyMaurice Duruflé, setting the Lord's Prayer in French as a sacred motet. It was published for voice and organ in 1977, and for a four-part choir a cappella in 1978, by Éditions Durand. Durufle dedicated the composition to his wife, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé. It is his last published composition, and his only work suitable for congregational singing.
| Notre Père | |
|---|---|
| Sacred motetbyMaurice Duruflé | |
The composer c. 1962
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| English | Our Father |
| Opus | 14 |
| Text | Lord's Prayer |
| Language | French |
| Composed | 1976 (1976) |
| Dedication | Marie-Madeleine Duruflé |
| Published | 1977 (1977)/78 |
| Scoring |
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Duruflé, who was organist in at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris[1] and also director of the Gregorian Institute of Paris,[2] set the Lord's Prayer in French as Notre Père for liturgical use.[3] It was a commission from a priest at Saint-Etienne.[1] It is his only work suitable for congregational singing, as requested by the Second Vatican Council.[4] He regretted the decline of Gregorian chant in Latin which had influenced his earlier compositions.[4] He wrote first a version for unison male voices with organ,[2] then a transcription for a four-part choir a cappella.[2] Both versions were published by Éditions Durand, dedicated to his wife, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, the unison version in 1977 and the choral version in 1978. It became his last published composition,[5] which appeared also with an English translation.[2]
The melody of Notre Père is chant-like, although not original Gregorian chant. Like chant, it is in free motion and with narrow ambitus, and the beginning uses the same notes as the chant melody.[1] It is written in reverential approach to the prayer, with a subtle treatment of harmony used to interpret the significant text in homophony. The composition is in F major, mostly in triple meter but shifting to 2/4 time when the natural flow of the text demands it.[2] The four-part setting is accessible, and the unison version can also be performed by children's choirs.[2]
