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Evensong: Of Love and Angels
Song Cycle by Dominick Argento (1927 - 2019)
1. Threnody (Orchestral prelude)
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2. Preces : Phos Hilaron  [sung text checked 1 time]
As the first candle is lighted: An Angel (solo treble): Hail Gracious Light, pure brightness everlasting! The Afflicted (mixed chorus): Come, long-awaited Light! Most holy, most blessed! As the second candle is lighted: An Angel: Now as we come to the setting of the sun. The Afflicted: Now as our eyes behold the vesper light. As the third candle is lighted: An Angel: It is meet to sing your praises, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Afflicted: Ever worthy to be glorified, throughout all the worlds. As the fourth candle is lighted: An Angel: O, Giver of Life! The Afflicted: Come now, long-awaited Love! Come, heal us, renew us, let Thine living waters cleanse us and wash away our sins that we may dwell with Thee in Thy glory forever. As the fifth candle is lighted: An Angel: Light of the World! The Afflicted: Let Thine everlasting Light shine upon us. As the sixth candle is lighted: An Angel: As it was in the beginning, The Afflicted: Is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Book of Common Prayer 1979
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]3. Psalm 102  [sung text checked 1 time]
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my [skin]1. I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. [ ... ] For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, [ ... ] My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. [ ... ]
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , "Psalm 102", KJV
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , "Psalmus 101 (102)"
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Argento: "skin, O Lord!"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
4. The lesson  [sung text checked 1 time]
Now there is at Jerusalem a pool which is called Bethesda. Around it lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, malformed, waiting for the moving of the water: For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , John 5:2-4 KJV
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. Sermon  [sung text checked 1 time]
Picture that Angel - the Angel That Troubled the Water. His head enclosed in a dazzling halo made of gold as bright as the sun, and the wings dark red and blue, edged with rose. In the early Renaissance a humble friar painted scores of angel-musicians playing strange-looking instruments in praise of God. But the Angel John speaks of had a special mission, a special music and his instrument was Divine Love. With his sacred fingers and sacred breath he stirred up the pool, he troubled the water and miracles of healing were performed. Today the pool of Bethesda is a relic, without so much as a drop of water to be troubled. Still, its parched and dusty ruins have something to teach us.They teach us to pray that an Angel will stir up our hearts, will trouble our souls and move us to comfort the afflicted; to offer them our steadfast hope and understanding, our unflagging sympathy and solace, and most of all, never-ending love, our eternal love. We, of course, cannot perform miracles of healing, but we can assuage their pain and suffering -- perhaps we may even palliate their fear of dying -- by showing how boundless is their significance to us, letting them know that we will always love and remember them. Remember them forevermore. Can we not do more than that? Can we not do more than that? Perhaps not, for we are not Angels; we are mere mortals. In time we too must die, and with us all the cherished thoughts of those whom we have loved also die. We too survive but a while in the thoughts of those who loved us. Yet the love will have been enough. What a gift from Him whose love for us is neither brief nor fragile. Love is not consolation. It is light. And what more precious gift than that can we bring to those afraid to face the darkness? Or to those already standing in the shadows, longing for light? The light of love. Yes, we are mere mortals and the gift of love comes at the cost of everything we are, and all that we will ever be. Giving it is the greatest blessing within our power. To give it is to be -- for a little while at least - among the Angels.
Authorship:
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]6. Meditation (Orchestral intermezzo)
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7. Canticle: Nunc Dimittis  [sung text checked 1 time]
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace. Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum. Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum. Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Song of Simeon, Luke 2:29-32
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]8. Prayer/Lullaby  [sung text checked 1 time]
The Angel Keep watch this night, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous and wash away our sins that we may dwell with thee in thy glory forever; and all for your love's sake we pray. Amen.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Book of Common Prayer, 1979
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]9. Anthem  [sung text checked 1 time]
Like sleepers, we drift down Night's cold corridors, Unseeing, unhearing, unfeeling. Then, in the distance, a ray of light Appears, growing into a brightness As white as an angel's wings. And in its celestial glow Our lives are forever altered. This radiance is love And in our illuminated souls A new knowledge is formed. Fantastic landscapes appear; Choirs of Cherubim intone A music never heard before: While compassion unveils a world Of warmth, kindness, unselfishness, and care. Love is not consolation. It is light. It is a light acquired by patience and pain, Doubt and understanding, sorrow and forgiveness. Encircled by torch-bearing angels Banishing the dark. We are transformed, Transformed and Enlightened by these blessed guides of love. Love is light.
Authorship:
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]