Adoration (Six Pieces), Op. 9, No. 2

Seth Bingham (b. Bloomfield, NJ, April 16, 1882; d. New York, NY, June 21, 1972) prolifically composed orchestral, choral, chamber music, organ works, and songs throughout a distinguished career in and near New York City as professor of music at Columbia University 1920-54 and lecturer at the School of Sacred Music of Union Theological Seminary 1953-1965.

A student of Horatio Parker (composition) and Harry Benjamin Jepson (organ) at Yale University (B.A., 1904, B. Mus., 1908), he taught theory and composition there 1908-1919.

In Paris and Berlin 1906-07, Bingham studied with Vincent d’Indy, Alexandre Guilmant, and Charles-Marie Widor. Bingham returned to France frequently and maintained an active acquaintance with French composers of the time, including Widor, Vierne, Dupré, Duruflé, Langlais, etc. In 1945-46, he served on the faculty of the United States Army's American University in Biarritz where he taught theory and composition.

He was organist at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church 1913-1951, and had been organist and choirmaster at the Rye Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York, 1909-1910, and Temple Beth Israel in New York City, 1910-1913. His sacred choral works are well known and orchestral works and secular choral works were performed in his lifetime in New York and elsewhere.

"Six Pieces" were published by H. W. Gray in 1923 as part of the well-known "St. Cecilia Series."

"Adoration," the 2nd of the opus is highly chromatic and also highly expressive. The ideas flow together in almost hypnotic sequence, and the effect is of utmost serenity.

The work is dedicated: "To Arthur Sewall Hyde (1875-1920." Hyde was organist of St. Bartholomew's Church (the church before the current) in NYC. He had been severely injured by a gas attack in WWI, and this injury led towards his death from plural pneumonia.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Bingham, Hyde, and the churches and organs involved with the two men.