I cut my teeth on the folk-revival movement in the late 50s and early sixties. I don’t remember when I first heard this, but here it is, sung by the first man who ever sang it in public. The Preacher and the Slave.
I keep coming back to the Seraphym (can you tell she is my favorite character from SWC?) And more Eric Whitacre. This time it is Nox Aurumque, or “Night and Gold” which is sung in Latin. It is a poem about an angel, weary of fighting…but here are the lyrics in English.
NOX AURUMQUE
Gold,
Tarnished and dark,
Singing of night,
Singing of death,
Singing itself to sleep.
And an angel dreams of sunrise,
And war.
Tears of the ages.
O shield!
O gilded blade!
You are too heavy to carry,
Too heavy for flight.
Gold,
Tarnished and weary,
Awaken!
Melt from weapon to wing!
Let us soar again,
High above this wall;
Angels reborn and rejoicing with wings made
Of dawn,
Of gold,
Of dream.
Gold,
Singing of wings,
Singing of shadows.
I head into the part of the story where WWI is breaking out and Arvo Paert’s Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten brilliantly describes the desolate landscape and the tragedy of No Man’s Land.
Listening to Performance Today on NPR, and today’s issue featured Eric Whitacre. Now I am a big fan of his work, but until now I had never heard of his Virtual Choir project. Have a listen. You will be blown away.