I weep for wonder

[vaneramos]

Sure On This Shining Night

Sure on this shining night
Of star-made shadows round
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night
I weep for wonder wand'ring far alone
Of shadows on the stars,
On this shining night.

~James Agee

Just imagine, Samuel Barber's musical setting is as beautiful, if not more, than the words of the poem. Few sights are as precious to me as a starry sky, and good music frequently moves me to tears. So it's no wonder this song cuts so deeply.

This is one of the pieces my choir will perform at the closing ceremony for the Pride Quilt display in Kitchener on June 15.

Comments

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I like Barber, too, but don't no much of his music besides the Adagio for Strings. This particular song was written for baritone solo, but Barber also arranged it for chorus. It is Op. 13 No. 3.

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Another piece of synchronicity between us:

I was going through a pile of music yesterday and stumbled across this song, which I remember being a nightmare to sing in my old classical singing days. I have to try it again. It's a piece of magic.

In fact, you've inspired me to post one of my favourite English pastoral songs in my Journal.

Let's do that coffee!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You are full of surprises! Why don't I expect gay men to be interested in many of the things that I find beautiful, like quiet lakes and good music? Or to talk about love as the artist's source? Apparently I have acquired a prejudice. It probably comes from spending too much time in bars for the past seven years.

We will definitely do coffee.