Comments on: Across the empty square (C inst.) https://graphitepublishing.com/product/across-the-empty-square-cinst/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=across-the-empty-square-cinst Just another WordPress site Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:10:41 +0000 hourly 1 By: Kathy Saltzman Romey https://graphitepublishing.com/product/across-the-empty-square-cinst/#comment-32794 Thu, 04 Mar 2021 03:36:33 +0000 https://graphitepublishing.com/?post_type=product&p=11293#comment-32794 This moving piece composed by Ellen Gilson Voth on poetry by Fr. Richard Hendrick eloquently portrays the emotions and experiences shared by so many across the globe throughout the pandemic. Upon my first hearing of the work in August 2020, I immediately resonated with the central message – that amidst loneliness, hate, fear, and sickness there can also be hope, love, light, and ultimately, singing. 
“Across the Empty Square” is a beautifully-crafted and compelling piece, which has profoundly touched me and my singers at the University of Minnesota. It became a touchstone for us when we recorded it in the isolation of our homes, apartments, and dorm rooms for the COVID premiere in December 2020. When we first sang this piece together in January 2021, as a masked and socially-distanced choir in our concert hall, we felt the “windows of our souls” open and connect across all that had separated us. This is music which transcends time and space, and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. To record this work a second time was deeply meaningful, especially with the addition of the oboe playing the beloved hymn, “How can I keep from Singing”. As choirs reconvene for live rehearsals and concerts, I strongly recommend programming “Across the Empty Square” as a testament to all we have endured and the special bond we share as a singing community.

]]> By: Vinay Thomas https://graphitepublishing.com/product/across-the-empty-square-cinst/#comment-32719 Sat, 27 Feb 2021 18:54:22 +0000 https://graphitepublishing.com/?post_type=product&p=11293#comment-32719 I am truly humbled and honored to have been a part of the impactful soundscape that Ellen Gilson Voth imagined through this fabulous composition. From the opening recitative-like passage with its characteristic echos and delays, to the final “sing” that rings within a wash of sonic colors, this piece accesses a wide range of vocal capabilities and was an absolute joy to sing. Especially delightful to me were the musical quotes from ‘How Can I Keep from Singing?’ in the instrumental part, and vocal harmonies depicting various colors and open skies.

Having sung this piece both virtually and in-person, It is clear to me that Voth has succeeded in creating a momentous work that symbolically represents a journey we are all taking through the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is my strong belief that ‘Across the Empty Square’ must be accessed by as many choirs as possible.

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