Stillness
SATB solo, SATB choir, piano, string orchestra (or reduced as string quintet)
Text: Süße Stille, sanfte Quelle by Barthold Heinrich Brockes translation of excerpt: Dr. K. M. Knittel Additional Text: Joel Phillip Friedman
Joel Phillip Friedman Sweet Stillness
SATB solo, SATB choir, piano, string orchestra (or reduced as string quintet) 2023
Commissioned by the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art, Catholic University of America World Premiere: April 27, 2024, Noel Nascimento, conductor
This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Duration: Ca. 7:30
www.joelfriedman.com
To Kay Knittel
who still lights the world around us
Sweet stillness, gentle source of quiet calm!
Even the soul will be made joyous
Darkness leads to darkness,
Hatred leads to only hatred
Loving one another
Lights the world around us
Only love can do that
In stillness sweet we start to hear
Each other’s song
In stillness sweet we start to see
All we can be!
Be caring, be kinder, be open, and hopeful,
And loving, and listening, and finding sweet stillness
That stillness, calm.
That eternally waits for us.
Darkness, hate, and silence
Bring on darkness, hate, and silence
Loving one another,
Lights the world around us
Only love can do that.
Amen
Süße Stille, sanfte Quelle: Barthold Heinrich Brockes (translation of excerpt by Dr. K.M. Knittel)
Additional text: Joel Phillip Friedman. Brockes’ words are printed in italics, all other words: Joel Phillip Friedman
Program note
Many, many years ago I ran into Barthold Heinrich Brockes’ poem Süße Stille, sanfte Quelle (Sweet Stillness, Soft Springs). While Handel expertly set his friend’s text, it is the words I have carried with me since (sorry Georg)
From time to time I’ve recalled the sentiment the poem captured so eloquently searching for stillness and peace but not in the original liturgical meaning, more in a humanistically universal way Many years later, I had a colleague and dear friend, the fierce, warm, and brilliant musicologist Dr. K. M. (Kay) Knittel. I once showed her the poem and she kindly translated it for me from the German. I started to set her words but never finished. This past summer (2023) I came across some of Kay’s articles and one of her books and when I was contacted about this commission, my thoughts immediately turned to this poem by Brockes with Kay’s translation as an antidote to the current darkness and strife in our world. Sadly, we certainly are living in “interesting times.” After reviewing my sketches and notes I came to the quick conclusion that there were many missing components in what I wanted to say in this choral piece. Eventually I decided to set only two excerpts from Brockes’ poem, which are printed in italics, and craft my own words as a supplement. We live in an increasingly violent, mean-spirited, and often graceless time. People spend more time perfecting their social media insults than connecting with others. My Sweet Stillness is a plea for the opposite: for peace, kindness, and grace through humility. The music creates a neutral space to contemplate, center, feel, and extend grace to one another, not just react via invective The work is dedicated to Kay “who still lights the world around us.”
Sweet Stillness is scored for solo SATB vocal quartet, SATB choir, piano, and string orchestra. This version of will be performed by double solo SATB vocal quartet, SATB choir, piano, and string quintet.
© 2023
Joel Phillip Friedman Grey Bird Music
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