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Choral
That the Dove May Rest
SSAATB chorus, solo mezzo soprano, viola,
cello, gamelan
Duration: 20:00
Year Written: 2009
Theme: Peace and Reconciliation; Collaboration; Multicultural/Uruguay/ Native American
DEVELOPED BY DUMASTAR
Commissioned and Premiered By
Phillip Kloeckner, Artistic Director of the United Nations Association International Choir of Houston, Texas , Rice University, Houston, Texas, 2009
Text: Sara de Ibáñez; traditional Navajo prayer
No puedo cerrar mis puertas I cannot close my doors
ni clausurar mis ventanas: nor fasten my windows
he de salir al camino which look out on the road
donde elm undo gira y clama, where the world spins and clamors
he de salir al camino which look out on the road
a ver la Muerte que pasa. to see death passing by.
Notes
The structure of this musical work is that of a through-composed song, with choral refrains. The texts of the two poems represent to the composer the dialectic of darkness and light as polarities in our search for spiritual meaning. We cannot close our doors to the suffering in the world as we constantly strive for peace, and yet we find moments of intense joy in our search as expressed in the Native American poetry "I am restored in beauty." The title of the work That the Dove May Rest is the composer's interpretation of Ibáñez's verse "ni en el fondo de la noche queda una paloma en calma…" (not even in the depths of the night does the dove rest calmly.) The choral settings of the Native American poetry are accompanied by gamelan, one of the most beautiful world instruments. The piece is written in the phrygian mode, a scale that supports the tuning of the Javanese gamelan.
The poem No puedo is not only the expressive voice of the poet, Sara de Ibáñez, but in this work is also interpreted as a "canto del pueblo." The composer suggests a vocal style for the soprano solo resembling cabaret, evoking a "song of the people." The choral settings of the Traditional Navajo Prayer are chants of healing and joy.
The premiere includes a special prelude and interlude of meditative Sanskrit chants performed by baritone Surender Talwar.
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