Franz Waxman
poem by James Forsyth
RUTH
A Narrative Poem with Music
Full Score
From the G. Schirmer Rental Library
Date of Printing________________
G. Schirmer, Inc. New York, NY
Franz
Waxman
poem by James Forsyth
RUTH
A Narrative Poem with Music
New York, NY
G. Schirmer, Inc.
Instrumentation
4 Flutes (2nd & 4th doubling Alto Flute, 3rd doubling Piccolo & Alto Flute)
3 Oboes (3rd doubling English Horn and Bass Oboe)
4 Clarinets in Bb (1st & 2nd doubling Soprano Saxophone in Bb, 3rd & 4th doubling Bass Clarinet)
Contra Alto Clarinet in Eb (optional)
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon
6 Horns in F
Piccolo Trumpet in Bb
3 Trumpets in Bb
3 Trombones
Tuba
Timpani (5 drums)
Percussion (3 players):
2 Vibraphones, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Finger Cymbals, Tambourine, Cymbals, Gong, Field Drum, Bass Drum
2 Pianos (both doubling Celesta and ‘Mandolin Piano’)
Electric Organ or Synthesizer
2 Harps
2 Narrators*
Strings
Transposing Score duration circa 24 ½ minutes
*A German translation of the text for two narrators, and an English text for one narrator is also available
(TheSpiritofBoaz)
I,BoazofBethlehem,inBethlehem, thenaskedthequestionIasknow: Whoisthiswoman? whosebeautyandbehavioursoseemtobe notnativetoJudea? seemalmost,tome, nativetoanotherworldinwhichwe, bymovingasshemoves,mightsomehowbe dancingintheDanceofTime Soserenely,sosilentlyshe stoopstoherworkyetseemsinnoway servileinherhumbleservicetome Whoisthiswoman?
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Boaz: Whoisthiswomanwhogleansinmyfields, whoseyouthfulfinenesscannotbeseen tofittheconditionofthosewhomustglean, inrags,inpoverty?
Onceagain
Iaskedthequestionwhichbegan myunsoughtcommitmenttothehistoryofMan andallourliveswithinthegreatline fromAdaminEden,KingDavidandon, totheChristtobeborninBethlehem
For,inBethlehemofJudea,standingabove myfieldofripebarley,Iknewlove; andIaskedofthestewardwhooversaw allmyharvestsifhedidknow whowasthisyoungwoman
And,foratime,noanswercame exceptforhersinging exceptforasong thatfaintlycameoverthewavingsea ofthegoldgrainheadsasthereapersgrew closerandcloser,cuttingalldown
And,asshecamecloser,stoopingtoglean thegrainnotgatheredintothesheaves, Iaskedthequestiononcemoreoftheman: Whoisthiswoman? Whatishername?
Ruth?Ruth aJudeanname Ruth,daughterofNaomi Naomi? No
Shesurelyhadnodaughter?
Daughter-in-law!Ah
ButthewidowNaomi’ssons,both,aresaid stilltobeinMoab;whereherfamilyallfled inourtimeoffamine(pause) Both?Oh
BothChilionandMahlonstillarethere dead? offamine?ThenisGodmorethangood, whosewillislaw
Butstay!
Thisyoungwomanmustthenbe awidow;andnearkintome, throughElimelech,thehusbandofNaomi; butaMoabitewidowOh cansuchacurs’dcountryasMoabproduce suchacreature? ofsuchgrace?
“Andtheanswertothiswasyetonlyhersong, sungtotheearthasshegleanedon,likeapauper gatheringfallengrainnotgatheredwiththe sheaves
Thus,inme,amidstmygoldenriches, FatesowedtheseedofLove,whereHatehad longbeentheharvestbetweenMoabandushereinJudeaAndtomyfield
shecame,againandagain;andIinstructedmy youngmennottovexherever;andtolethergleanevenamongthe sheaves
Boaz: Andthen asNaomiintimetoldme
Naomi:
“Mother! Naomi!”shecriedtome asshecame,stumbling,runninghome fromtheharvestfieldsMother! Home? thistentedhovelwe’dstruggledtobuild fromtherubbleandruinwhichoncewashome; ontheparceloflandwhichstillwecouldclaim asoursinBethlehem“Mother!Look! Andshehelditoutandsheshowedtome, herheadscarfpregnant-fullofgoodgrain Thenshelaiditatourfeet,tellingmehow, thatthebarleyfieldwhereshehadgleaned wasBoaz’field,andhowthathe hadshownhersuchfavourandletherglean evenamongthesheaves“Why?” Why,shesaid,shedidnotknow And,Isaid tomyself,nottoher IthinkIdo
ForIlookedatherstandingbarefootthere, inrags,yetresplendentinwomanhood, laughingassheletthegoldengrain tricklethroughherfingerstofallonhertoes andbackontotheheadscarfatherfeet
So,IdeterminedtoseekBoazout Forhewouldknow asIdid theLaw thatthenearestofkinmusttaketowife thewidowofhisdeadkinsmanAndhe wasthenearestofKintoRuththatIknew Thusdoesthelineoflifecontinueinus andthegreatdanceoftribaltimegoon
Naomi: Now,Boazwasknownforhisjusticetoallmen andalsotoallwomen;withnoneofwhom hehadfoundhistruewaytowedlock SoIwenttohimandtoldhimhow Ruthwasthemostfaithfulofwomen;how, whenIwasdrivenbygriefandneed outofMoab,itwasshe whowouldnotleavemeandletme,alone, facethecrueljourneytoBethlehem: howIstarted,andtimeandtimeagain hadtoturnandorderher,eachtimeinvain, toreturntothecareofherfamily wholovedheralmostasmuchasI; how,finally,shestoodweepingandsaid: “WhitherthougoestIwillgo; wherethoulodgestIwilllodgetoo; thypeopleshallbemypeople; thyGodmyGod: andwherethoudiestIshalldie, andtherebeburied”
AndstillIpleaded,“Youdonotknow thebitternessinBethlehemfacingme; northebitternessMoabhasbredinme; sothatmynameshouldbechangedtoMara” Andshe,stillweeping,said: “MayGoddosoandmorealso,tome ifoughtbutDeathpartmewiththee”
Boaz:
Oh,onlytoowellIknew howNaomiwouldscheme tomakeherdreamcometrue ButRuthherselfhadbeguntobe mydreamoflife
Boaz:
Thewind'sgentlyinterwovencrop ofthegoldbarleyheads,andthen torunyourhandwithopenfingersthrough thenoddingwindsweptheadsasthough theeaseoftruelifewasthenaddedto thecoolsoftbreezefromthedistantsea
Andthenagain whenfirstIapproachedandquestionedyou onthemorningofthesecondday
andyouraisedyourhead,raisedyoureyes,andtoldtomehow,onthesunsetofthedaybefore,walking backthroughthestubblewithbarefeet,youfeltitspaintobeatonementforallyou'ddonewrong;while, liketheearth'smusicforanewsong,asyourfeetpassedthroughityoucouldclearlyhearthestubblemakeasoundlikea dulcimer
ItwasthenthatIknewwhatItrulycannowsaytoyou"Ruth,ofMoab,I, BoazaJewadoreyou;andinlovewishtotakeyouadoredonetobemy
wife.
Andshelookedlongatme,ineyesdeepincompassion andbeginningtoflowwiththepurestofwatersthatGod aboveallowstoappearonthisourearth:thetearsreleased
Naomi:
AndBoazpreparedtopurchaseourparcelofland, togiveussomemeans,andtosettlemein withinhiswalls;whichthenwouldbe thehouseholdofRuth
Mydreamhadcometrue: happinessforRuthand,forme, thehopethatourfamilylinemightbe unbroken
ButBoaz,themanofLaw, struggledwithhimselfHeknew thatstilltherelivedoninBethlehem akinsmanwhoheldpriorclaimtoRuth; beingtheonestillnearerinkinthanhe Andonhearingthis,I,Naomi, oldashismotherandwiserthanshe, stormedatBoaz,thatbecauseoftheLaw hewoulddaretoriskthelossofRuth andtheruinofhisandthelivesofusboth; and"foramerelegality!"
Naomi:
But,pleadasImighttoBoaz,theLaw wasthebasisoftrustandthelifeofall whodweltinpeaceinBethlehem Soinanguishheprayed,yethewenttothisman, andhetoldhimhowdeadMahlon'slandwasforsale andthatitbestbekeptwithinourkin
AndthatwiththelandMahlon'swidowaswell washistoclaim,andtoredeem AndIwept,atthedestructionofourdream Forthemanagreedthathe'dclaimhisjustclaim
Then Godbepraised! hebethoughthimagain; forthismanwouldlosehisownrichinheritance ifhedidredeemourRuth
SothedanceofTimedecidedtodoanewdance, Anddancewedid!
AtthemarriagefeastofBoazandRuth!
So,BoazbegatObed,whobegatJesse,whobegatgreatDavidtheKingButdeep,deepin thestrainwasthegraceandthebeautywhichmadeBoazbegintowonderatthewonderoflife