For Solo Voice, Speaker, Congregation, Choir, and Piano, 5′
| Sample Score | PDF License per copy $2.00 |
About the Music
As a practicing Unitarian Universalist, I was happy to learn about our denomination’s adoption in 2024 of a set of values, centered around love.
In the centrality of love to these values of transformation, pluralism, generosity, interdependence, equity, and justice, I was reminded of the traditional 8th century Latin chant, Ubi caritas. The first line of that chant–Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est—translates to “Where charity and love are found, God is there.” While Unitarian Universalists differ in their beliefs about a personal God, this expression of shared values with love at the center reflects a similar understanding of what is holy or divine.
In my Meditation on Ubi Caritas, I have brought together a simple repeated chant for the congregation with harmony parts for the choir, a solo voice part, spoken words, and a piano accompaniment. The solo parts and spoken words refer to my understanding, in my own words, of Unitarian Universalism’s shared values.
The Meditation is about 5 minutes in duration. In the absence of a choir, the harmony parts may be supplied by the piano alone. I recommend (and approve without license) projection of the congregation’s part. Probably what would work best is to show the repeated line of music with lyrics, switching to a blank screen during the speaking parts, and a new slide showing the slight change at m. 70.
LKN
August 2025