Pages
A clear-eyed look at the world’s challenges, with a contemplative call to action
Music: Elizabeth Alexander
Words: Elizabeth Alexander
Moving forward with the patient, deliberate steps of visionary souls past and present, this introspective song surveys the challenges of the world with clear-eyed compassion and resolve. By turns both heart-lifting and heart-rending, it concludes with a call to action for all people of conscience.
The second movement of Kindling: Small Reflections on a Limitless Faith, Pages may also be performed as a stand-alone piece.
Instrumentation: SATB, piano OR SATB, flute, horn, piano, string quartet
Note: The Choral Score is designed to be used with chamber ensemble performances as well as those accompanied only by piano. For chamber ensemble performances, the conductor uses the Conductor’s Score of the complete work (SEA-123-00).
Details and Ordering Information
Composer Notes
A survey of the morning’s news can brings many emotions in quick succession: joy, fear, sorrow, inspiration and pain. I brought this shifting emotional terrain into Pages, along with the patient, perseverant steps of many visionary souls.
Pages
On the pages of the morning paper,
People rebuild shattered schools and restore lifeless lakes,
Knit reconciliation out of promise and pain,
And sing to the deathly ill and the newly born.
Constitutions are still being written,
And slaves freed, and truces forged.
We finish our breakfasts and roll up our own sleeves.
Elizabeth Alexander
© 2015 by Elizabeth Alexander
Performers
SATB, flute, horn, string quartet
Premiere: Choir of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston / Jason Oby (Houston, TX)
Choir of Arlington Street Church / Mark Buckles (Boston, MA)
Choir of Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church / Mark Tuning (Walnut Creek, CA)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Church of Atlanta / Donald Milton III (Atlanta, GA)
Harmonium Choral Society / Anne Matlack (Chatham, NJ)
One Voice Mixed Chorus and Well-Strung / Jane Ramseyer Miller (St. Paul, MN)
St Luke Presbyterian Church / David Lohman (St. Louis Park, MN)
SATB, piano
Premiere: Choir of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester, MN / Joseph Mish
University of Indianapolis Concert Choir / Meagan Johnson (Indianapolis, IN)
