Psalm 50 is among the most heartfelt pleas for God’s forgiveness in all of Scripture. It is the psalm of penitential seasons such as Lent, when the believer raises a supplication to God with a voice steeped in sorrow and hope: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; in your great compassion blot out my transgression.
Musical settings of the Miserere are numerous, and among them stands out the 1706 version by the French composer Delalande, written for soprano, basso continuo, and vocal trio. The splendor of its ornamentation serves a trusting invocation to God.
The theme of the Miserere has inspired Sarah Davachi, who will reinterpret Psalm 50 in an entirely instrumental version for organ, accompanied by subtle live electronics.
The program will conclude with Sances’s poignant chromatic passacaglia, set to the magnificent text of the Stabat Mater.