Did the usual brief hello-bye conversation with my boyfriend Z on the phone, I took a shower. I "planned" on doing some studying and work. Of course, that didn't work. Then, out of no where, I visited Conspirare's MySpace music page. Conspirare is an awesome group of choral ensemble in Austin, TX where they received Grammy awards not a while ago. I had the opportunity to work with them and listen to their concert while University Choir had a tour in Austin two years ago. Anyway, as I'm trying to figure out how I even ended up in this website, the few recorded selections started playing.
That's when everything just stopped. Requiem by Eliza Gilkyson. I know this tune. I know I have sung this before. It's just I don't know when, where, and whom I have sung with. But, my brain remembered this exact same song. It was a song that I fell in love with when I first learned the piece. And...I fell in love with this song again...tonight. At first, I didn't know the composer - simply couldn't remember. So I started googling and came up with this - Eliza Gilkyson. I found an interesting article about this particular piece that I was not aware of at all.
[September 14, 2005 - Eliza Gilkyson wrote "Requiem" as a song of grief following the Asian tsunami in December. Now, after Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the Gulf Coast region, this song is finding its way to listeners and can be a song of prayer and comfort.
The singer-songwriter explains how "Requiem," from her album Paradise Hotel, became a "vehicle for grieving."] from NPR music (www.npr.org).
Perhaps, this was the reason why I was touched. This wasn't anything like Rutter Requiem or Morzart Requiem. Perhaps this modern requiem not only was composed for the purpose of the Katrina incident but mourning for all the tragedy in modern history. After knowing the origin and the purpose, the piece made so much more sense to me.
This song has brought my mind to peace. I invite you to listen to Conspirare's work on Requiem. It is simply amazing, in my opinion.
http://www.myspace.com/conspirare
Ooh....
mother mary, full of grace, awaken,
all our homes are gone, our loved ones taken,
taken by the sea,
all our homes are gone, our loved ones taken,
taken by the sea,
mother mary calm our fears, have mercy,
drowning in a sea of tears, have mercy,
hear our mournful plea,
drowning in a sea of tears, have mercy,
hear our mournful plea,
our world has been shaken,
we wander our homelands forsaken,
in the dark night of the soul bring some comfort to us all,
o mother mary come and carry us in your embrace,
that our sorrows may be faced,
we wander our homelands forsaken,
in the dark night of the soul bring some comfort to us all,
o mother mary come and carry us in your embrace,
that our sorrows may be faced,
mary fill the glass to overflowing,
illuminate the path where we are going,
have mercy on us all,
in funeral fires burning,
each flame to your mystery returning,
illuminate the path where we are going,
have mercy on us all,
in funeral fires burning,
each flame to your mystery returning,
in the dark night of the soul your shattered dreamers,
make them whole,
o mother mary find us where we've fallen out of grace,
lead us to a higher place,
make them whole,
o mother mary find us where we've fallen out of grace,
lead us to a higher place,
in the dark night of the soul our broken hearts you can make whole,
o mother mary come and carry us in your embrace,
let us see your gentle face, mary.
o mother mary come and carry us in your embrace,
let us see your gentle face, mary.
ooh.....
Good night, everyone.
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