|
Composer
Alfred V. Fedak
Text Helen Keller
Voicing SATB, kybd., opt. Soprano solo, opt. oboe
Topic Creation, Faith, Light
Price $2.85 (U.S.)
Released 8/22
Cat. no. 420-119
Difficulty Mod. easy
|
Order now!
Order PDF download!
Min. of 5
Description
Commissioned by St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Albany, New York, in memory of Katherine Anne Onufer. A beautiful and moving setting of this little-known text from Helen Keller. The optional oboe has an independent line that weaves itself through the voices and accompaniment.
Anthem text
This I know and I believe.
"I know that life is given us
so that we may grow in love.
And I believe that God is in me
as the sun is in the color
and the fragrance of the flower,
I know that life is given us
that we may grow in love.
And I believe that God is in me
as the sun is in the color
and the fragrance of the flower,
the light in my darkness,
the voice in my silence."
–Helen Keller
Text from Light in My Darkness, © 2000 Ray Silverman
|
|
 
Recording of premiere by St Paul's Episcopal Church Choir, Albany, N.Y., Steven Rosenberry, Organist and Choirmaster
Review
"Helen Keller's delicate text recognizing the presence of God elicits a gentle choral song from Fedak, intertwining a plaintive oboe line with mainly two-part choral lines of elegant simplicity. Rather than following a melody in strophic form, the choral parts are unified by gestures, particularly in the opening of passages. The anthem achieves a singleness of purpose in these unifying operations while sensitively following the thoughts expressed in the text. The accompaniment is marked for keyboard yet seems specific to the organ. The closing affirmations of 'This I know and I believe' lie above repetitions of a fluid arpeggiated figure as the piece ends peacefully." --AAM Journal, Jan./Feb. 2024 |
