Monday, March 3, 2008

Five Hebrew Love Songs

I was going to post something mopey about some difficulties that I'm having with my current employment situation, but this seems like a nicer idea. In Chamber Choir Rehearsal this evening, we introduced a new set of pieces by Eric Whitacre called Five Hebrew Love Songs. The words (in Hebrew) are written by his now-wife (then-girlfriend) Hila Plitman, and I think they translate beautifully.

I.
A picture is engraved in my heart;
Moving between light and darkness:
A sort of silence envelopes your body,
And your hair falls upon your face just so.

II.
Light bride
She is all mine,
And lightly
She will kiss me!

III.
"Mostly," said the roof to the sky,
"the distance between you and I is endlessness;
But a while ago two came up here,
and only one centimeter was left between us."

IV.
What snow!
Like little dreams
Falling from the sky.

V.
He was full of tenderness;
She was very hard.
And as much as she tried to stay thus,
Simply, and with no good reason,
He took her into himself,
And set her down
in the softest, softest place.


There now. Aren't those lovely? The music is equally beautiful, and can be heard here: Five Hebrew Love Songs

9 comments:

Iris said...

Yes, very lovely!

Welcome to RevGals!

Rev SS said...

Hi Chorus, I'm just catching up on my RGBP reading. Glad to welcome another cat lover who knows Altos rule!

Crimson Rambler said...

how yummy, I look forward to hearing the love songs very much!

Towanda said...

Lovely. Can't wait to listen.

Patrick C said...

Those are lovely, particularly number III! I must admit, though, that until I went back and read your preamble thoroughly, learning in the process that the songs are modern and not biblical in age, I was a bit puzzled at the idea of the ancient Hebrews using the metric system...

Anyway - they are beautiful songs! Have fun singing them!

Jan said...

Yay--welcome to RevGals! Though I'm not a rev, I'm a Pal!

ccw said...

Very lovely!

I am going to go listen now.

Processing Counselor said...

Welcome to the Revgals. I'm not a rev either, but I'm a counselor who is looking for a community. My partner is Jewish and I'll have to show her the love songs.

Liz Warner said...

Our chamber choir in NYC is performing these pieces right now as well. I LOVE this work, it is soooo beautiful. The orchestration reminds me of Vaughan Williams a bit... it has those lush heart-wrenching chord progressions in the strings, same as Vaughan Williams.