The Earth Cries Out | Michael D. McGroarty | MusicSpoke

The Earth Cries Out

for SATB mixed chorus (with divisi)

by Mickey McGroarty

Program Note

This piece was written for the EcoVoice Project's "Cry of the Earth" Call for Scores, and was premiered by the ensemble along with the other 9 winning submissions. The conceit of the Call for Scores was to encourage works inspired by Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical, "Laudato Si," on ecological stewardship and climate action.

The text, found below, is adapted from several different Bible passages outlining an emotional journey from the desolation that the Earth is currently facing, through our call to responsive action, and toward the hope of - and prayer for - future joy.

This is meant to mirror the structure of “Laudato Si,” from the opening description of the Earth as “among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” through the discussion of ecological justice, and ending with his closing hopefulness “He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward.”

Text

The Earth cries out

In pain and sorrow

The Earth cries out

She languishes, withers, dies

And the heavens with her

adapted from Isaiah 24:4-6

We must let justice flow like water We must be the stream of righteousness

adapted from Amos 5:24

We must let the wilderness Bloom forth with fruit

We must let the mountains Bear prosperity

Adapted from Psalm 72:1-3

The Earth cries out

Let her cry with joy

And the heavens with her

With the trees and forests

With the sea and all that is in it

Cry out with joy

The Earth cries out

Let it be with joy

Adapted from Psalm 96:11-13

Isa 24:4-6, Amos 5:24

Ps 72:1-3, Ps 96: 11-13

(cresc.) (cresc.) (cresc.)

be wemustlet the must wil we derness thestream ness forth eous with right of bloom fruit bloom of the forth we be stream we with ness eousness right must wil fruit the let der must withfruit ness bloom thestream let the right be of ness forth

= 76)

joy! with joy! with joy! joy! with with with joy! joy! with joy! with with joy!

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

The Earth Cries Out | Michael D. McGroarty | MusicSpoke

Published on Dec 11, 2025

MusicSpoke

This piece was written for the EcoVoice Project's "Cry of the Earth" Call for Scores, and was premiered by the ensemble along with the other 9 winning submissions. The conceit of the Call for Scores was to encourage works inspired by Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical, "Laudato Si," on ecological stewardship and climate action. The text is adapted from several different Bible passages outlining an emotional journey from the desolation that the Earth is currently facing, through our call to responsive action, and toward the hope of - and prayer for - future joy. This is meant to mirror the structure of “Laudato Si,” from the opening description of the Earth as “among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” through the discussion of ecological justice, and ending with his closing hopefulness “He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward.”