The New Psalmody is a collection of lyrical settings, one hundred forty-five in all, of the psalms appointed for all Sundays (Years A, B, and C) and major feasts (e.g. Christmas, Holy Week, Easter).
James Testa is a native of Philadelphia. His music has come under a wide range of influences from the spare textures of the 12th century Hildegaard von Bingen to 19th and 20th century composers such as Faure and Durufle. His approach to composition is informed by the voice leading principles codified by Johan Sebastian Bach, and the elegance of Gregorian Chant where melody and tonality are unified.
“The value of this corpus is not just that the verses for the entire three-year liturgical cycle are through-composed (itself an astonishing achievement), nor simply that the accompaniments are carefully crafted — full of profound imagination and rich harmonies. It is Testa’s utter devotion to the prayerful nature of these texts...”
