Just let it rain on down…

Many have very much enjoyed the post "Liquid Silver, Crystal Voices" which featured a video of the amazing choral group "Conspirare" singing "Light of a Clear Blue Morning". This has been especially popular among those of you who, like me, have great difficulty sleeping at night.

There is another piece which was originally written for string orchestra by the late Samuel Barber entitled "Adagio for Strings" and the first time I heard it I was captivated, hanging on every note, my heart rising and falling with each languid beat. The sound is divine. But to hear it in an arrangement for voices was like the extraordinary discovery of a rare shimmering diamond. If you have found the CD the Conspirare vocal group issued, "In the Company of Voices", you already know they sing it with the same exquisite quality of "Clear Blue Morning". More of that wondrous, cool liquid crystal.

I wanted to bring this piece to you, especially those who are members of the Insomniac Club, however I could not find a video of Conspirare singing it which I could embed on my blog. HOWEVER, I did find on YouTube a performance of this incredible music by the Choir of Trinity College in Cambridge, England. Those of you who are musicians may know the phenomenon of English interpretation of much choral music being performed at a slower pace than many other fine choral groups throughout the world. This is also true for many British performances of orchestral music as well. The Trinity College recording is no exception, with it being almost a full minute longer than other but less exceptional recordings I could locate.

The "Adagio for Strings" arranged for voices is set to something called the "Agnus Dei" which is Latin for "Lamb of God" and is part of the Catholic Mass both in church as well as in large works of music, such as the Bach B Minor Mass or Masses by other composers. The prayer is also part of other denominational traditions. The words refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and translated they mean:

"Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace."

The video is very simple as it features only a still picture of Samuel Barber in black and white, so you will NOT miss anything if you close your eyes as you listen J It is an incredible meditation. A complete prayer in itself. If you are weary, trying to find sleep, or need a gentle embrace of peace, sit back and listen. Try not to push the music along any faster as one might feel like trying to do if they are tense. Just let it rain on down…note by note. And breathe, friends, breathe as you listen. Long slow deep breaths into the heart of the meaning of the music. I pray that soon you'll find tensions ease, worries cease, and discover yourself in a place of gentle grace, on the threshold of sleep.