Music for viola and organ or piano composed to honor the Rev. Donald R. Goodness at his retirement from the Church of the Ascension in New York City.
for viola and organ or piano / 5 min.
Program Note
I composed Deo Gratia Virtute for the service of thanksgiving for the ministry of Donald R. Goodness, Rector of the Church of the Ascension, to which my family belonged and where our children were baptized. Father Goodness, true to his unlikely name, was a powerful influence on many people and his retirement was a big event. This piece was a collaboration with another member of the parish, the choreographer and dancer Kristin Jackson, and its performance featured her solo dance, which beautifully conveyed gratitude and honor. Those familiar with service music in the Episcopal Church will recognize in Deo Gratia Virtute musical phrases that we had all heard Father Goodness sing countless times. I hope they will also pardon the pun in the title.
—Theodore Wiprud
Buy Score and Parts »
