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The Lord Bless You and Keep You (Lutkin)

Peter C. Lutkin

Score

Read it and listen to it right here. It can't be downloaded — to sing it with your choir, use it in Cantico.

History

The Lord Bless You and Keep You (Lutkin)

Peter Christian Lutkin (1858–1931) was an organist and dean of the School of Music at Northwestern University. “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” is his choral benediction, from 1900, on the text of Numbers 6:24–26, with a final “Amen” repeated seven times.

About the piece

A four-voice benediction sung at the end of the service. The edition, 24 measures long, carries soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

How to prepare it

It is a piece of simple texture, with manageable ranges except for the sopranos, who reach G5 (C4–G5 (a twelfth)). What is essential is the tuning of the chords and that the volume diminish through the sevenfold “Amen”: each “Amen” should be softer than the last. Rehearse the diminuendo with a metronome so the voices fade evenly.

When to use it

The classic closing piece at the end of a service, and very often sung at weddings and funerals.