Epiphany

satb + organ | 12:00 | 2023

Commissioned for the Pasadena Chorale by Eric Vesbit. For John, Eric and Malena.

Text by Jeffrey Bernstein.

TEXT

I.

I heard

As a child

From above

From a loft

The voice of love

Tender and soft

The voice of God

Stentorian and great,

Omnipotent, irate

Resounding full of

Wrath, full of weight.

II.

I went from the church

And into the silent time,

The ages in between—away.

The darkness seemed

To overwhelm the day.

The voice of God

That used to be so clear

Was something now

No ears I knew

Could hear.

III.

And then I sensed

A sound begin

Familiar music

Deep within

I thought it was

The voice of God

This perfect song

It was my father’s

Music all along.

An organ made

Creation’s song,

My father played it

All along

My father is

The holy one

His music is

The holy one.

Amen.

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