Ross Lee Finney, the composer, developed and taught one of the first academic courses dedicated to American music at Smith College.
Instruments
The recording features the 1929 E.M. Skinner Opus 793 organ, originally made for Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Hartford, Connecticut, and known for retaining its original style and voicing.
Historical Context
The Pilgrims brought the Ainsworth Psalter, a psalm book prepared by Henry Ainsworth, to Plymouth in 1620, and its music was sung in America for a hundred years.
Performer Biography
The Harvard Glee Club, featured on this album, is the oldest collegiate men's chorus in America, founded by students in 1858, and its alumni include Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt.
Composition History
Finney continued working on "Pilgrim Psalms" during World War II, even after being drafted into military service and receiving the Purple Heart.
Compositional Technique
Finney's "Pilgrim Psalms" uses a variety of techniques including mode-mixture, polychoral antiphony, quartal harmony, and bitonality, while maintaining clarity and accessibility.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ross Lee Finney's "Pilgrim Psalms" grew from his deep love of the melodies in the Ainsworth Psalter, a psalm book brought to Plymouth in 1620.
