Song of the Five Thousand
A canonic table grace with abundance, gratitude and generosity at its core
Music: Elizabeth Alexander
Words: Elizabeth Alexander
Song of the Five Thousand is the “table grace refrain” from the lively choral piece, Only a Couple Fishes – a warm, community-minded canon with abundance, gratitude and generosity at its core.
This publication includes both a piano/vocal score and a lead sheet, making it equally accessible for a choir, a soloist or a congregation. Licensing for congregational use is available through One License or Seafarer Press.
Details and Ordering Information
Composer Notes
The mystery of this timeless story lies in the unnamed source of the limitless bounty — does the feast come from a divine source, or from human generosity? It was important to me to tell this story with pluck, but to preserve this all important question.
(For more information about this canon, see Only a Couple Fishes.)
Song of the Five Thousand
As we share what we have with each other,
Let us sing out joyfully.
May abundance lead to gratitude,
Then to generosity.
Elizabeth Alexander
© 2012 by Elizabeth Alexander
Performers
Only a Couple Fishes (complete song)
Premiere: Children’s Choirs of Trinity Lutheran, Watertown Evangelical Free Church and Immaculate Conception / Joyce Harding (Watertown, MN)
ACDA Illinois Children’s Honor Choir / Emily Ellsworth (Glen Ellyn, IL)
ANIMA Young Singers of Greater Chicago / Brandon Pemberton (Elmhurst, IL)
Children’s Choir of Unity Church-Unitarian / Kathleen Radspinner (St. Paul, MN)
Choir of First Parish in Concord / Beth Norton (Concord, MA)
Choir of Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church / Sarah Dan Jones (Plymouth, NH)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island / Mavis Cauffman (Freeland, WA)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook / Dan Weymouth. Interfaith Thanksgiving (Stony Brook, NY)
Choir of Valley Unitarian Universalist Church / Kellie Walker (Chandler, AZ)
Choral Conducting Workshop / Rodney Eichenberger (Cannon Beach, OR; Alexandria, VA)
Rainier Youth Choirs / Leora Schwitters (Kent, WA)
Williamsburg Methodist Summer Music Camp / Lou-Anne Smith (Williamsburg, VA)
Song of the Five Thousand (canon)
Premiere: Children’s Choirs of Trinity Lutheran, Watertown Evangelical Free Church and Immaculate Conception / Joyce Harding (Watertown, MN)
Bread & Roses / Peggy Safford (DeKalb, IL)
Choir and Congregation of Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence / Susan Harper (Lawrence, KS)
Choir of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester / Joe Mish (Rochester, MN)
Choir of First Universalist Society of Hartland Four Corners / Patty Talbot (Hartland Four Corners, VT)
Choir of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills / Catherine Cattabiani (Kingston, NY)
Choir of Unity Church-Unitarian / Ruth Palmer (St. Paul, MN)
Florence Church of the Brethren (Constantine, MI)
ACDA Illinois Children’s Honor Choir / Emily Ellsworth (Glen Ellyn, IL)
ANIMA Young Singers of Greater Chicago / Brandon Pemberton (Elmhurst, IL)
Children’s Choir of Unity Church-Unitarian / Kathleen Radspinner (St. Paul, MN)
Choir of First Parish in Concord / Beth Norton (Concord, MA)
Choir of Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church / Sarah Dan Jones (Plymouth, NH)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island / Mavis Cauffman (Freeland, WA)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook / Dan Weymouth. Interfaith Thanksgiving (Stony Brook, NY)
Choir of Valley Unitarian Universalist Church / Kellie Walker (Chandler, AZ)
Choral Conducting Workshop / Rodney Eichenberger (Cannon Beach, OR; Alexandria, VA)
Rainier Youth Choirs / Leora Schwitters (Kent, WA)
Williamsburg Methodist Summer Music Camp / Lou-Anne Smith (Williamsburg, VA)
