Reviews
"I'm generally not wild about anthems that piece together verses from several psalms (obviously some of the now "classic" anthems do, but that kind of work is becoming scarce). Many current attempts sound cheap to me, like "psalm stew." I Was Glad is a welcome exception. Hopp casts verses from four Psalms, 122, 100, 96, and 90 in a quasi-rondo form. Psalm 122:1, "I was glad," is the "refrain." One reason for the success of Hopp's setting is that the verses are a cogent telling of the joys of being in God's presence and of the gifts received therein. One of the finer moments occurs at "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, let the whole earth stand in awe of him." The sense of awe is reflected in a long tonic pedal point (22 measures!). I think this is a fine opportunity to reflect on the various shades of gladness, joy, cheerfulness, pleasure and delight we sense and express in the presence of God." -Cross Accent, July 1997.

"Roy Hopp's setting of the same opening words [I was glad}, on the other hand, is a good addition to the anthem repertoire. Hopp chooses widely amongt the Psalms for his text, but the result is an exciting festival anthem with a fine organ part; while it will challenge most organists and many choirs, it is well worth the effort." -AAM Journal, March 1998