poetry set to music
This Friday I'm going to be singing in a choral concert entitled "A Way With Words." It's theme is centered around the powerful aspect that beautiful words bring to choral music, and how the music can enhance them. Three of the poetic songs that we'll be singing this Friday struck me as especially beautiful, so I thought I'd share them with you.
Omnia Sol (Let Your Heart be Staid) by Z. Randall Stroope (note: this is not a poem, but the lyrics are poetic enough)
Somewhere far from nowhere, I grew both strong and tall,
Longing to become but knowing not the path at all.
But the footprints of the winter melted to fields of spring;
One last embrace before I cross the threshold:
To life we sing!
O stay your soul and leave my heart its song,
O stay your hand, the journey may be long.
And when we part and sorrow can't be sway'd,
Remember when and let your heart be staid.
Omnia sol temperat, (The sun warms everything)
Absens in remota. (Even when I am far away)
Ama me fideliter (Love me faithfully)
Fidem mean noto. (And know that I am faithful)
Weave the dance and raise the chorus, grieve no more.
Through the strength of Orion find refuge from the shore.
Let courage be your oar, let passion be your sail.
Wisdom and Truth will guide your deep heart's yearning,
Through all travail.
"A Boy and a Girl" by Octavio Paz (I have taken liberties with the punctuation)
Stretched out
Stretched out on the grass
A boy
And a girl
Savoring their oranges
Giving their kisses
Like waves exchanging foam.
Stretched out
Stretched out on the beach
A boy
And a girl
Savoring limes
Giving their kisses
Like clouds exchanging foam.
Stretched out
Stretched out underground
A boy
And a girl
Saying nothing
Never kissing
Giving silence
For silence
"If Music Be the Food of Love" by Henry Heveningham
If music be the food of love, sing on.
Sing on till I am filled with joy;
For then my list'ning soul you move,
To pleasures that can never cloy.
Your eyes, your mien, your tongue declare
That you are music ev'rywhere.
Pleasures invade both eye and ear,
So fierce the transports are they wound,
And all my senses feasted are;
Tho' yet the treat is only sound
I must perish by your charms,
Unless you save me in your arms.
Omnia Sol (Let Your Heart be Staid) by Z. Randall Stroope (note: this is not a poem, but the lyrics are poetic enough)
Somewhere far from nowhere, I grew both strong and tall,
Longing to become but knowing not the path at all.
But the footprints of the winter melted to fields of spring;
One last embrace before I cross the threshold:
To life we sing!
O stay your soul and leave my heart its song,
O stay your hand, the journey may be long.
And when we part and sorrow can't be sway'd,
Remember when and let your heart be staid.
Omnia sol temperat, (The sun warms everything)
Absens in remota. (Even when I am far away)
Ama me fideliter (Love me faithfully)
Fidem mean noto. (And know that I am faithful)
Weave the dance and raise the chorus, grieve no more.
Through the strength of Orion find refuge from the shore.
Let courage be your oar, let passion be your sail.
Wisdom and Truth will guide your deep heart's yearning,
Through all travail.
"A Boy and a Girl" by Octavio Paz (I have taken liberties with the punctuation)
Stretched out
Stretched out on the grass
A boy
And a girl
Savoring their oranges
Giving their kisses
Like waves exchanging foam.
Stretched out
Stretched out on the beach
A boy
And a girl
Savoring limes
Giving their kisses
Like clouds exchanging foam.
Stretched out
Stretched out underground
A boy
And a girl
Saying nothing
Never kissing
Giving silence
For silence
"If Music Be the Food of Love" by Henry Heveningham
If music be the food of love, sing on.
Sing on till I am filled with joy;
For then my list'ning soul you move,
To pleasures that can never cloy.
Your eyes, your mien, your tongue declare
That you are music ev'rywhere.
Pleasures invade both eye and ear,
So fierce the transports are they wound,
And all my senses feasted are;
Tho' yet the treat is only sound
I must perish by your charms,
Unless you save me in your arms.