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About the Composer
Isaac Lovdahl
Graphite Publishing
Though the great Waters sleep
A powerful and profound setting of an Emily Dickinson poem.
for SATB div. choir and piano
Lovdahl’s “Though the Waters Sleep” grapples with life’s important questions: why are we here, does our life have meaning, is there a God? The marriage of art in this work is three-fold: choir, keyboard, and poetry. The choral and piano writing is expansive, bold, and dramatic. Lovdahl weaves the two together as equally important and expressive voices, each given important expressive opportunities. Passages of aleatory give performers even more freedom to invest in the performance. Lovdahl also quotes the hymn tune from “Abide With Me,” adding one more rhetorical layer to an already rich piece. The poetry of Emily Dickinson shines through this setting and is explored from every angle, much like turning a prism in the sunlight. Take some time to digest this music in rehearsal and performance. It is the sort of choral piece that never grows old.
Composer’s Notes
In six short and poignant lines, Emily Dickinson’s poem, Though the great Waters sleep, presents the reader with a severe personal dilemma: She is confronting existential doubt regarding her purpose in life and the existence of a Creator. Many of us have experienced a great deal of anxiety as we attempt to contend with these big questions – I certainly have. Dickinson asserts that “no vacillating God” would put us here just to have us die without meaning and function. As a juxtaposition to the poetry, I included melodic excerpts from the funeral hymn, Abide with Me, throughout the piece. The hymn text pleads for God to stay with us throughout life and to help us cross over into death. Though the text from the hymn is not sung at any point, the inclusion of the melodic material subtly hints at its broader meaning, implying that there is hope to be found beyond fear and doubt, regardless of one’s individual resolution. We are here – we exist. Our meaning is found in our living and our striving. You have a purpose – known or unknown; bestowed, discovered, or invented. It is my hope that this music will simultaneously provoke thought and deep reflection while also offering comfort and solace to those who need it.
– Isaac Lovdahl
Text
Though the great Waters sleep,
That they are still the Deep,
We cannot doubt—
No vacillating God
Ignited this Abode
To put it out—
-Emily Dickinson (1830-86)
$2.15 per licensed PDF
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