Palestrina - Super Flumina Babylonis, arr. Lucyanne Gordon for Women's SSAA Chorus
Palestrina - Super Flumina Babylonis, arr. Lucyanne Gordon for Women's SSAA Chorus
Palestrina's Poignant Psalm Motet — For Treble and Women's Chorus
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) composed Super Flumina Babylonis as a setting of Psalm 137 — "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept" — one of the most emotionally searching texts in all of scripture. Palestrina's polyphonic mastery is on full display in this deeply moving motet, whose interweaving vocal lines carry the weight of exile, longing, and memory with extraordinary expressive power.
This edition presents Super Flumina Babylonis in an arrangement by Lucyanne Gordon for treble and women's chorus. Gordon's sensitive adaptation brings this Renaissance masterwork within reach of high school, collegiate, and community women's choruses, preserving the modal depth and emotional gravity of the original in writing that lies naturally in the treble voice.
Performance Highlights
- Palestrina's deeply moving setting of Psalm 137 — a Renaissance masterwork
- Extraordinary expressive power and polyphonic craftsmanship
- Arranged by Lucyanne Gordon for treble and women's chorus
- Ideal for sacred concerts, choral festivals, and programs exploring Renaissance literature
- Digital PDF download — print-ready score included
About the Arranger
Lucyanne Gordon holds a BM in Music Education from SUNY College at Fredonia, a Masters in Choral Conducting with an emphasis in Vocal Performance from Bowling Green State University, and a Doctorate of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado with secondaries in Vocal Performance and Theory/Composition. She served as Interim Director of Choral Music Education at the University of Northern Colorado in 2008–9, teaching choral methods and conducting, and directing the UNC Madrigal Singers and the 100-voice Women's Choir. Currently, she teaches voice and choir at Nardin Academy High School in Buffalo, NY, where the Nardin Academy Choir — composed of students in grades 9–12 — has earned a Gold with Distinction award at the highest NYSSMA difficulty level for three consecutive years. Her arrangements and compositions arise from a desire to expand the quality repertoire available for treble choirs.