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Saturday, 31 March 2007 |
I had the pleasure of attending a concert by the choral group
WomenSing. Martin Bienvenuto, the choir's Director, is a master of
unearthing little-known gems from the classical and modern choral
repertoires and bringing them to life with the enthusiastic cooperation
of the 55-women group.
From the WomenSing website:
"Believing that music is transformative and enlightening for both
singer and listener alike, WomenSing is devoted to the study and
performance of great choral repertoire and to sharing it with a broad
audience."
The evening's repertory did not disappoint, ranging from Vivaldi's Beatus Vir to Haydn's String Quartet in Eb Major to the Snow Birds—Words
by Sri Ananda Acharya (born 1883 to the Brahmin caste, later renouncing
the world and settling in Norway) and music by Michael Head
(1900-1976). The lyrics for the song cycle came from an early edition
of Sri Ananda's poetry, entitled "The Snow Birds."
The lyrics to "Only A Singing Bird" I found particularly wonderful.
I am not God nor His messenger.
I am only a singing bird.
I am not Poet nor his Muse.
I am only a singing bird.
I am not Prophet.
I am not Sage—
I am only a singing bird.
I fly in the heav'ns across the seas.
And come to sing at thy door.
Each dawn when the morning God
smiles on the ocean,
Each eve when the twilight God
sings at earth's end,
Each night when the God of thy heart
sits in silence alone with the God of my heart.
I am only a singing bird.
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