David Last: Diabelli-Contest 2016

As I worked to set this prayer the biggest thing that stuck out to me was the
seeming bewilderment of the author. I tried to keep this idea in mind throughout
the work while also trying to create an image of what was truly described. So the
beginning sets up the main idea of this wonder, partly with the harmonies involved,

but more so from the misaligned text setting creating an unaccented texture. As the
piece transitions into the section with the higher tempo and the meter changes
emphasizing freely flowing rhythmic lines, I am attempting to capture all of the
images of nature that the prayer references. The closing of this section is the
realization of the author that all of this beautiful, natural scenery was not there at
the beginning of creation.

Therefore, the piece moves into the highest level of
bewilderment section to capture the amazement that all of this was not there. The
piece then moves forward in the text where the author is realizing the glory that is
God’s transcendence of, and creation of, natural beauty and therefore the music
begins to match the more prayer-like aspect of the text, and closes with such sense
and punctuates again the wonder of the author.

Attached Recording Note:
The mp3 file attached is a file of the Finale sounds rather than a recording for I believe it shows the aesthetic and live qualities of the piece than the MIDI file does.