The Greatest of These

The Greatest of These (2025)

for unaccompanied SATB choir (with solos and divisi)

Text adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:1-2; 4-8 by the composer. various translations.

Duration: approx. 8 minutes

What could be easier than writing about love? Even when your medium is music and not words alone, what theme could be more ubiquitous, more pervasive, more essential? With a myriad of songs, poems and stories already in existence and countless more yet to come, what is it I want to say about this topic that affects us all?

Upon receiving this commission from Sydney Chamber Choir, my thoughts went to the much-recited ‘love chapter’ of 1 Corinthians. These verses are staples of wedding services and religious sermons, and yet like many oft-repeated verses, the depth and magnitude of their meaning can easily be lost in quick recitations or a hurried skim read. In setting these timeless words, I sought simplicity and directness. I wanted to sit inside the words, attempt to grasp the enormity of their meaning, and reflect some of the pure and holy truth that I believe they explore.

The main themes came very easily; it was the pacing of them and the trust in the stillness between phrases that took more time. These words are not Hallmark platitudes. They require deep understanding, contemplation, and action from us if we believe their sentiments to be true. Surely our world would be less broken if we all lived in accordance with these verses.

Love is patient, love is kind.

Love does not envy, it does not boast,

It is not proud.

Love does not demand its own way.

It is not easily angered

and keeps no record of being wronged.

Love does not delight in evil

But rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.

What if I could speak in the tongues of men and of angels?

If I did not have love, I would be nothing.

What if I could prophesy and understand all mysteries, all knowledge?

If I did not have love, I would be nothing.

And what if I had faith that could move mountains?

I would be nothing, unless I had love.

Love is patient, love is kind.

Love does not envy, it does not boast.

Love bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.