The skies in their magnificence
Text: Thomas Traherne
SSAATTBB
duration: 5'
Gemini Publications
Commissioned by English Music Festival
First performance 27 May 2008
The London Chorus/Ron Corp
Dorchester Abbey
| This work is a setting of two verses taken from the poem 'Wonder' by the Hereford-born, metaphysical poet, Thomas Traherne. Traherne's works were not discovered (and indeed little known of the poet himself) until the late nineteenth century and were first published as Poems in 1903. Subsequently, he has become highly acknowledged as a very fine poet and theologian and by 1939 Gerald Finzi had completed Dies Natalis, a setting of five of Traherne's texts.
Written for double choir, The skies in their magnificence opens with the two antiphonal soprano lines intertwining above a full chorus. The luminous, or even numinous, words inspire a slow, stately and full textured progress in which the work unfolds gently to an ecstatic climax.
The skies in their magnificence was commissioned by the English Music Festival and premiered by The London Chorus, conductor Ronald Corp, at Dorchester Abbey in the final concert of the Festival on 27 May at Dorchester Abbey, 2008. Duration: 5'
© 2008, Cecilia McDowall
The skies in their magnificence,
The lively, lovely air;
Oh how divine, how soft, how sweet, how fair!
The stars did entertain my sense,
And all the works of God, so bright and pure,
So rich and great did seem,
As if they ever must endure
In my esteem.
Rich diamond and pearl and gold
In ev'ry place was seen;
Rare splendours, yellow, blue, red, white and green,
Mine eyes did everywhere behold.
Great wonders cloth'd with glory did appear,
Amazement was my bliss,
That and my wealth was ev'ry where:
No joy to this!
from Wonder
Thomas Traherne (1637-1674)
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