THIS MOURNING
“On a first hearing, “This Mourning” seemed a serious, appropriately respectful and often eerily beautiful tribute.
The luscious close, with the ethereal sound of rubbed crystal glasses standing out against the lowing chorus and orchestra, lingers in the memory.”
Tim Page, The Washington Post
“The final movement reaches profound heights. As the chorus intones Dickinson’s lines, ‘There must be guests in Eden, All the rooms are full,’ a cathartic, almost ecstatic rise of melody and emotion unfolds.”
Tim Smith, The Baltimore Sun
chorus, orchestra, and tenor soloist
18 MINUTES
Commissioned by The Washington Chorus, Booz Allen Hamilton, and the National Endowment for the Arts
SCORING
2 Clarinets 2 Bassoons / 2 Trumpets 2 Trombones Bass Trombone / Timp. 2 Percussion / Harp/ Tenor Soloist / Large Chorus / Strings [no less than 8.8.6.4.2] / Consort of Crystal Glasses [no less than 28 players]
(This pairs well with the Mozart Requiem given the similar orchestral forces.)
PROGRAM NOTE
Texts for This Mourning
Movement 1: LUX
Chorus
Taken from us this morning…(Emily Dickinson)
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine cum santis tuis in aeternum, qui pius es…
(Let light eternal shine on them, O Lord, with thy saints forever, for thou art merciful.)
Tenor Soloist
Today a god died. (Thomas Baily Aldrich)
Never any more…
Never any more…
Chorus
A bird, a bird, a bird…
Movement 2: today a god died
Tenor Soloist
Today a god died. Never anymore
Shall man look on him. Never any more,
In hall of senate, shall his voice…
Chorus
(Taken from…) (Emily Dickinson)
Tenor Soloist
Give hope to the nations; (Thomas Baily Aldrich)
In his prime
Not all the world could daunt him; yet a ghost,
A ghost, we call Death,
Has silenced him forever.
Chorus
A bird, a bird, a bird…
Tenor soloist and chorus
A callow bird, of not so many days
As there are leaves upon the wilding rose,
Chirps from yon sycamore;
At noon the rain fell, and tonight the sun
Will sink with its grandeur to the sea,–
Tenor Soloist
And yet to-day a god died…
Movement 3: Taken from us
Chorus
Taken… (Emily Dickinson)
Taken…Taken from us this morning,
Carried by men today,
Met by gods with banners
Who marshalled them away.
One little child from playmates, One little mind from school,
There must be guests in Eden,
All the rooms are full
Tenor Soloist
Far as the east from even
Dim as the border star,
Courtiers quaint in Kingdoms, —
Our departed are.
Chorus
Taken…
Texts complied and edited by Joel Puckett
All texts part of the Public Domain
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