Seafarer Press | Elizabeth Alexander, Works: Be Grateful, My Soul

LEVEL E = Easy
ME = Moderately Easy
M = Medium
MD = Moderately Difficult
D = Difficult

Adult Women Men Youth Children by theme/style by difficulty

Be Grateful, My Soul (Norbert Čapek, excerpt from letter written in Dresden Prison)

SSSAA or vocal quintet - 5-part canon - SEA-096-00 - $2.50/copy

3 minutes - ME

The five voice parts in this prayerful song have identical ranges, with the alto parts having a lower tessitura. A sweeping and lyrical testament to life's worth and beauty, even when shrouded in darkness.

Background of lyric: On March 28, 1941, Norbert Čapek, minister of the Unitarian Church in Prague, was arrested by the Gestapo, along with his daughter Zora. They were accused of listening to foreign broadcasts and BBC transmissions; in addition, Norbert Čapek was accused of "high treason," with several of his sermons cited as evidence. Zora was sent to a forced labor camp, from which she was subsequently released. Although Norbert was found innocent of the treason charge, the Gestapo ignored the court's recommendation, sending him first to Dachau and later to Hartheim Castle in Alkoven, Austria, where he was executed in a gas chamber.

Zora's last visit to her father in Dresden was on March 31, 1942, the day before his trial. During that visit, he gave her a letter containing a poem he wrote for her. Several stanzas from the core of the poem were adapted into the lyric of Be Grateful, My Soul.

Be Grateful, My Soul - Score

Be Grateful, My Soul is also a movement from Go Out! - A Musical Celebration of Liberal Religion and Freedom of Thought

Excerpt from poem written by Norbert Čapek for his daughter Zora, from a March 31, 1942 letter from Dresden Prison Norbert Čapek
Even though a thousand times disappointed
and fallen in the fight,
even thought faced with a world which now seems worthless,
I have lived amidst eternity.
Be grateful, my soul,
Be grateful, my soul,
I have lived amidst eternity.

Reprinted by permission of Ron Frederick. All rights reserved.
Adapted lyric by composer Elizabeth Alexander. All rights reserved.

Complete poem written by Norbert Čapek for his daughter Zora, from a March 31, 1942 letter from Dresden Prison Norbert Čapek
It is worthwhile to live
and fight courageously
for sacred ideals.

O blow ye evil winds
into my body's fire
my soul you'll never unravel.

Even though disappointed a thousand times
or fallen in the fight
and everything would worthless seem,

I have lived amidst eternity —
Be grateful, my soul —
My life was worth living.

He who was pressed from all sides
but remained victorious in spirit
is welcomed into the choir of heroes.

He who overcame the fetters
giving wings to his mind
is entering into the golden age of
the victorious.

Reprinted by permission of Ron Frederick. All rights reserved.

Be Grateful, My Soul (SSSAA) - Score Scorch was designed by the folks who built Sibelius notation software, as a simple way to allow Sibelius scores to become webpages. Despite its slightly ominous name, Scorch is free, is not excessively large (approx. 1 MB), and does not do anything demonic like put you on a mailing list or affect other computer programs. - E.A.

If you can't see the score after the file finishes loading, click here to download the Scorch plug-in.

Seafarer Press | Elizabeth Alexander, composer

Be Grateful, My Soul (Norbert Čapek, excerpt from letter written in Dresden Prison)