See a perusal copy of the music.
Hear a synthesized realisation
This ecstatic paean to the natural world should be sung with the freedom and flow of ancient plainchant. Generally, let each black-headed note last for roughly the same amount of time, creating a smoothed out but somewhat speech-like rhythm. Small note-heads indicate slightly shorter note values; unfilled note-heads indicate longer durations, as of course do fermata. Triplet markings suggest roughly three notes in the space of two. Let the dynamics vary naturally with the rise and fall of the phrases. The grace notes (last line of page one) should be sung strongly and as if on the beat.
Different phrases can be apportioned ad lib to different sections of the choir if the wide range of the piece is difficult to cover as a group.
Words
Because I love The sun pours out its rays of living gold Pours out its gold and silver on the sea.
Because I love The earth upon her astral spindle winds Her ecstasy-producing dance.
Because I love Clouds travel on the winds through wide skies, Skies wide and beautiful, blue and deep.
Because I love Wind blows white sails, The wind blows over flowers, the sweet wind blows.
Because I love The ferns grow green, and green the grass, and green The transparent sunlit trees.
Because I love Larks rise up from the grass And all the leaves are full of singing birds.
Because I love The summer air quivers with a thousand wings, Myriads of jewelled eyes burn in the light.
Because I love The iridescent shells upon the sand Take forms as fine and intricate as thought.
Because I love There is an invisible way across the sky, Birds travel by that way, the sun and moon And all the stars travel that path by night.
Because I love There is a river flowing all night long.
Because I love All night the river flows into my sleep, Ten thousand living things are sleeping in my arms, And sleeping wake, and flowing are at rest.
Kathleen Raine from Selected Poems (Golgonooza Press, 1988)
Purchase – 3047: Amo ergo sum
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