Bobby McFerrin: The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother)

The brilliant jazz, classical, and pop performer, composer, and conductor Bobby McFerrin wrote this moving setting of Psalm 23 as a tribute to his mother Sara (1924-2019). Sara was an accomplished singer, veteran music educator here in Orange County, and longtime Board member of Pacific Chorale. Many of our singers still fondly remember performing this piece in 2001, with Bobby conducting and Sara listening in the audience. We are pleased to offer this labor of love to the memory of a woman who touched so many lives through music.

Pacific Chorale dedicates this virtual performance of "The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother)" to all who have suffered illness and loss due to COVID-19.

Conducted by Robert Istad
Performed by Pacific Chorale

The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother)
Composed by Bobby McFerrin
Transcribed by Dan Stolper
© 1994 Prob Noblem Music (BMI)

[bobattiyeh]

Thank you Pacific Chorale! And thank you Bobby McFerrin!

[_rvmphoto]

So good to see all of your faces and listen to your beautiful voices again. Thank you.

[robokamp]

great job everyone. Thank you for sharing this

[ellenbacon]

Lovely, touching song, beautifully sung. Thanks for sharing.

[janebuttery]

Quite beautiful. A Moving Composition. What a lovely dedication too.

[joannstrickland]

Dear Bobby McFerrin, the most important thing was that your composition communicated a profound feeling of PEACE! I think your Mom was an Opera singer & had a profound influence in your life. The most beautiful
instrument is the one God made, the human voice. As a cellist, I can only try to imitate it. I remember when you played
with our orchestra, the ASO. Keep up the good work & know that your Mom is with you & is so proud of you! Bravo!

[AnUUne]

I love the echoing at the end of each It must have been recorded in a huge hall

[amosbracero]

So beautiful and so moving... thank you Pacific Chorale!

[matthewkellaway]

You all are fantastic! So beautiful! Thank you for doing this. We all need this right now.

[tinagreene]

Such a lovely rendition. Soothes my soul on so many levels. The harmonies are exquisite

[johnforsyte]

This is such a beautiful performance and the production was wonderful. Thank you for the gift of your great talents.

[johnsteven]

I'm posting this question on a few of the recordings of this piece. I can't be the only one to wonder about this. Is Bobby McFerrin Episcopalian/Anglican? As soon as I listened, I thought this was basically an Anglican chant. I then I looked up the sheet music and it does seem to be a single Anglican chant with the rhythm written out and some changes in the spacing of the voices from verse to verse alla Stanford and his setting of Psalm 150.

[moa]

Ok, what's it with "she"? SMH.