Commissions
The Season of Singing
Composer: Gay Holmes Spears
Arranger: Not Applicable
Publication: No Information Available at this Time
Duration: 8:09
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Program Notes:
As a church organist, I am often called upon to play at funerals and memorial services. At one particular memorial service, the deceased persons were an older couple, a husband and wife who were living in south Mississippi. The wife had recently had hip surgery. News came that Hurricane Katrina was bearing down upon the Gulf Coast in their area. Since the wife was very uncomfortable following the surgery, and travel would be difficult for her, the couple decided they would ride out the hurricane instead of heading for higher ground.
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And then the unthinkable happened. The couple's home was destroyed and they lost their lives in the flooding after the hurricane. At the service, the pastor chose the text Song of Solomon 8:7, which reads in part, "Many waters cannot quench love." There was not a dry eye in the service as everyone contemplated what it means to love that much.
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After this event, a plan for a suite of pieces about love based on the words of this beautiful ancient text began to form. My first movement addresses falling in love. The second movement relates to love's consummation. The last speaks of love that never dies no matter what events may occur. Truly one of the greatest gifts is to experience this kind of love.
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- notes by Gay Holmes Spears
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Score Sample:
Voicing:
SSAA
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Accompaniment:
Piano
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Themes:
Lyrics:
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Paraphrase of sections of The Song of Solomon
I. Arise, My Love
The season of singing has come.
Winter is past, over and done,
Winter is past and the rains are over and gone.
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Arise my love, and come with me.
The season of singing has come.
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II. You Have Stolen My Heart
You have stolen my heart.
You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.
There is no one like you, my love.
Love burns.
Love burns like fire.
Love burns like blazing fire!
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My desire! My desire!
Passion bursts into flame!
Passion bursting into flame.
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Fire and desire! Fire and desire!
Fire and desire! Bursting into flame,
bursting into flame, bursting into flame.
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Arise, my love, and come with me,
for your kisses are much sweeter than wine.
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III. Many Waters Cannot Quench Love
Many waters cannot quench love,
Many waters cannot quench the fire of love.
Flowing rivers cannot wash love away.
Raging rivers cannot wash my love away.
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Floods cannot cover it.
Many waters cannot quench my love for you.
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Arise, my love, and come with me.
Keep me always in your heart.
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Keep me forever, forever, in your heart.
My love for you shall never die.
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Many waters cannot quench my love for you.
Arise, my love, and come with me.
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Singing has a season, but love shall not die.
Arise, my love, and come with me.
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