Pure Light beyond Light

Ancient and modern invocations of the Holy, filled with reverence, mystery and illumination

Poet/Lyricist:

Mozarabic prayer, Hildegard von Bingen, Rob Eller-Isaacs

Commissioned by Jonathan Kopplin, for Bethlehem Academy of Faribault, MN

Three invocations of the holy, drawn from different centuries and parts of the world as it inspires us, animates us, and awakens us. Drawn from different eras and religious traditions, each offers its own distinct, vibrant voice of reverence, mystery and illumination.

Movements
I. Hear Us, O Never-Failing Light (Mozarabic Easter Eve blessing)
Published separately in a "Flexible Voicing Edition," allowing men's, women's and mixed choirs to choose to sing the song in 2, 3 or 4 parts

II. Luminous Awakening (Hildegard of Bingen)
Published separately in a form identical to that of the complete work

III. Holy One, Source of Radiance and Reason (Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs)
Published separately in a form identical to that of the complete work, as well as a 2-5 part canon

Item	Instrumentation/Voicing	Duration	Level	Audio	Peruse	Delivery Method (Print vs. Digital)	Price	Quantity
SEA-133-00	SATB a cappella - Choral Score	7'	M	https://www.seafarerpress.com/sites/seafarerpress.advantagelabs.com/files/works_variant_audio_files/recording-alexander-hear-us-o-never-failing-light.mp3		Sheet Music	$3.75	Quantity
SEA-133-00DEL	SATB a cappella - Choral Score	7'	M	https://www.seafarerpress.com/sites/seafarerpress.advantagelabs.com/files/works_variant_audio_files/recording-alexander-hear-us-o-never-failing-light.mp3		Licensed PDF	$3.75	Quantity

Pure Light beyond Light

I. Hear us, O Never-Failing Light,
Mozarabic Easter Eve blessing

Hear us, O never-failing Light,
May our souls be lamps of Thine,
Kindled and illumined by Thee.
May they shine and burn with truth,
And never go out in ashes.
May we be Thy dwelling,
Shining from Thee, shining in Thee.
May we shine and fail not;
May we ever worship Thee.
May we shine forth inwardly
And the light of perpetual faith abide in us.

Translated from the Latin ca. 1862 by William Bright
Adapted by Elizabeth Alexander
_________

II. Luminous Awakening
Hildegard of Bingen

Holy Spirit, breath of every being,
root of every creature,
moving in all,
bathing all lives
with compassion and grace,
and caressing pain into boundless joy,
pure light beyond light
luminous awakening,
radiant, bountiful,
resurrecting everything
again and again and again.

Translated from the Latin by Elizabeth Alexander
_________

III. Holy One, Source of Radiance and Reason
Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs

Holy One, source of radiance and reason,
Thou whose love endows and animates our lives.
We acknowledge Thy presence within, among and beyond us.

Translation of "Hear Us O Never-Failing Light" ca. 1862 by William Bright.
Translation of "Luminous Awakening" © 2016 by Elizabeth Alexander.
"Holy One, Source of Radiance and Reason" © 2015 by Rob Eller-Isaacs. Used by permission of the author.

Performers:

Complete Work
Premiere: Bethlehem Academy Choir / Jonathan Kopplin (Faribault, MN)

Movement I. Hear Us O Never-Failing Light
Choir of First Baptist Church / Shawn Potter (Ottawa, ON)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills / Suzanne Cartreine (Wellesley Hills, MA)
Harvard Choral Fellows / Carson Cooman (Cambridge, MA)
Lumina Women's Ensemble (St. Paul, MN)

Movement II. Luminous Awakening
Anjali Silva / Frances Lorenz (Takoma, WA)
Chamber Choir of Colonial Church of Edina / Timothy Takach (Edina, MN)

Movement III. Holy One, Source of Radiance and Reason
Arizona Unitarian Universalist Choral Festival / Elizabeth Alexander (Chandler, AZ)
Choir of Valley Unitarian Universalist Church / Kellie Walker (Chandler, AZ)
Harvard Choral Fellows / Carson Cooman (Cambridge, MA)

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Basic Genres:

Choral