My Gift

My Gift, SATB with Organ (1976)

Written at the request of a young adult religious choir in Salt Lake City, Rock Oakeson composed this dramatic four-part SATB Christmas piece with organ accompaniment.  In the key of G minor and intermediate in difficulty (both for the choir and organist), this piece was born after Mr. Oakeson heard the poem, “A Birthday Gift, from a Christmas Carol,” by Christina G. Rossetti.  Knowing that with a fuller textual treatment, a choral piece with great emotion and depth could be composed, he set out to write a text based on Rossetti’s powerful short poem.  With the text completed, he then set it to music which assists in telling the story of what one can give to the Baby Jesus at His Birth.  This is a beautiful piece for both the concert hall and for any seasonal church service.