ME = Moderately Easy
M = Medium
MD = Moderately Difficult
D = Difficult
Into the Silent Darkness (Richard S. Gilbert)
SATB, violin, piano - SEA-088-00 - $3.50/copy NEW FOR 2010!6 minutes - D Vincent Brown Silliman Choral Anthem Competition - Honorable Mention Commissioned by Joyce Gilbert, for Richard S. Gilbert
The names for God are many, including the one invoked in this atmospheric work: "The Beyond From Which We Come." A sense of awe and mystery pervades this prayer, which embraces the fear and faith arising from this awe. Unfolding slowly, this unforgettable meditation culminates in cascades of whispered alleluias, echoed hauntingly by the violin.
Violin part (pdf)Into the Silent Darkness - score
Recording (excerpt)
(Unity Singers ~ Ruth Palmer conductor ~ Evan Vicic violin ~ Elizabeth Alexander piano)
(Unity Singers ~ Ruth Palmer conductor ~ Evan Vicic violin ~ Elizabeth Alexander piano)
Into the Silent Darkness
The Beyond from which we come
Is hidden in dark moist mysteries of primeval mud
And the silence between the stars,
Dwells in the recesses of the soul,
Beckons us into a wilderness,
Reveals itself at its own bidding.
From its vast complexity
Arises simple ecstasy.
We go forth in fear and faith,
Knowing not what we will find —
We sing our alleluias into the silent darkness,
To the Beyond from which we come.
Original text © by Richard S. Gilbert.
Adapted text © 2010 by Elizabeth Alexander, for use in musical setting only.
The Beyond from which we come
Is hidden in dark moist mysteries of primeval mud
And the silence between the stars,
Dwells in the recesses of the soul,
Beckons us into a wilderness,
Reveals itself at its own bidding.
From its vast complexity
Arises simple ecstasy.
We go forth in fear and faith,
Knowing not what we will find —
We sing our alleluias into the silent darkness,
To the Beyond from which we come.
Original text © by Richard S. Gilbert.
Adapted text © 2010 by Elizabeth Alexander, for use in musical setting only.
Into the Silent Darkness - 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.
If you can't see the score after the file finishes loading, click here to download the Scorch plug-in.