The first year we sang “Be Music, Night” by Bradley Ellingboe was in 2007. Although our recording of that year’s concert failed, we do have this recording made under Bradley’s direction last year:
“This piece was written in a ‘white heat of creativity.’ Often it takes me two weeks from start to finish to create a choral anthem, but in this case, I wrote it in one sitting during my mother’s final illness. The poetry talks about someone halfway between this world and the next, which is represented by the piece’s tonality rocking between D major and F major.”
It is based on a poem by Kenneth Patchen:
Be music, night,
That her sleep may go
Where angels have their pale tall choirs
Be a hand, sea,
That her dreams may watch
Thy guidesman touching the green flesh of the world Be a voice, sky,
That her beauties may be counted
And the stars will tilt their quiet faces
Into the mirror of her loveliness
Be a road, earth,
That her walking may take thee
Where the towns of heaven lift their breathing spires O be a world and a throne, God,
That her living may find its weather
And the souls of ancient bells in a child’s book
Shall lead her into Thy wondrous house
| Persons of the Day: Our Accompanists We have been calling out several accompanists through these emails, but thought they also deserved a complete listing (we hope) as persons of today: Accompanied entire performances: Kaye Turner, Fay Maynes, Jim Berry, Kevin Memley, Alla Artimova, and Jeffrey Paul. Assisting in performances: Patrica Berry, Stephen McKersie, and John Karl Hirten. Rehearsal Accompanists: RuthE Wells, Yvonne Wormer, Barbara McElroy, and Martha Wall. |