City of Shadows

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2018 • 6min • SATB+SAT soli (or semi chorus)
commissioned by Rick Seale for Thomas Circle Singers in memory of his mother

City of Shadows sets the poem Sonett für Wien by Hans Kaltneker, a nostalgic text written during WWI as the young poet grapples with the political turmoil upending Vienna at the time. The piece is intended to be sung antiphonally: The main choir is placed in front of the audience and sings the poem in German while three soloists or a semi chorus situated elsewhere in the venue alternate with a stoic rendering of the English translation.

Format:

2018 • 6min • SATB+SAT soli (or semi chorus)
commissioned by Rick Seale for Thomas Circle Singers in memory of his mother

City of Shadows sets the poem Sonett für Wien by Hans Kaltneker, a nostalgic text written during WWI as the young poet grapples with the political turmoil upending Vienna at the time. The piece is intended to be sung antiphonally: The main choir is placed in front of the audience and sings the poem in German while three soloists or a semi chorus situated elsewhere in the venue alternate with a stoic rendering of the English translation.

Sonett für Wien

By Hans Kaltneker
Trans. by Michael Fili

Du Stadt, du Psalm, aus Gottes Mund erklungen
und Stein geworden, Marmor, Park und Garten,
Gedicht und Leid der liebsten Engelzungen,
die lange deiner gold’nen Kirchen harrten,

Oh city, oh psalm from the mouth of God resounding
and turned to stone, marble, park and garden,
poem and song in the angelic tongue,
who long awaited your golden churches

drin alle Heil’gen, wunderlich bezwungen
von ihrer hohen Form, zu Glanz erstarrten!
Stadt der Fontänen, altem Stein entsprungen,
barocker Bouten, gnädiger Standarten,

in which all saints, stunned
by their beauty, were eternally frozen in glory!
City of fountains, sprung forth from ancient stone,
Baroque buildings, glorious banners

die über hohen Prozessionen schweben!
Die Stadt, darin der Klang vergang’ner Zeiten
noch klingt, darin das alte Gold noch leuchtet,

that above grand processions fly!
Oh city, where the sound of yesterday
still echoes, where ancient gold still gleams,

darin die dunkeln, frommen Bilder leben
und Gottes Auge aus den grünen Weiten
der Berge strahlt, von Wehmut sanft befeuchtet.

where dark, holy portraits live
and the eye of God shines forth from the
distant mountains, gently damp with sorrow.