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Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander (Seafarer Press)
Strong Braid (from “Kindling”)
A soaring musical metaphor for the interdependence of faith and reason.
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Kindling: Small Reflections on a Limitless Faith
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Kindling: Small Reflections on a Limitless Faith
SATB, flute, horn, violin, cello, piano OR SATB, piano
A soaring musical metaphor for the interdependence of faith and reason. As ecstatic paper kites ride unpredictable winds, a steady, reassuring braid keeps them safely anchored to the ground. With playfulness and vivid text painting, “Strong Braid” celebrates the dynamic tension that allows belief to flourish while remaining rooted in rational thought.
“Strong Braid” is the fifth movement of “Kindling: Small Reflections on a Limitless Faith.”
Note: This song may be performed with chamber ensemble (flute, horn, violin, cello, piano, string quartet) or with piano alone. In both cases choristers simply use the Choral Score. For chamber ensemble performances of this song, the conductor conducts from the conductor’s score of the complete work (SEA-123-10). Instrumental Parts are available through Seafarer Press.
Composer’s Notes
Despite how much I value rational thought, I’ve always had a wee little aversion to the word “humanism.” Because it’s grounded in science, reason, and rational thought, humanism can sometimes come across as dry and academic. It was clear I needed a metaphor. What if faith is an ecstatic kite, while humanism is the string that keeps it anchored to the ground? Yes! I felt like I finally understood the relationship between these two perspectives. Reason does not limit faith; it allows it to soar to great heights while remaining grounded and healthy.
-Elizabeth Alexander
Text
Aloft in the heady air of faith,
Our senses heightened by incense and ether,
We may from time to time become ecstatic paper kites.
We dive and keel and rocket,
Riding each wayward gust with abandon,
Recklessly aspiring to auroral heights —
Yet knowing all the while that we are safe,
Tethered to the ground by a strong braid, a steady hand,
And a mind that appraises the wind.
– Elizabeth Alexander
© 2015 by Elizabeth Alexander
$3.00 per licensed PDF
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