In The Wide Awe And Wisdom Of The Night
SATB choral/organ score
PEL2097-Choir and Organ
A WORK FOR SATB CHOIR AND ORGAN
A setting of Charles G. D. Roberts sonnet with music that adheres to the octatonic scale. This work is romantic and moody in its expression of the earth's mysterious journey on its rotation through night and day, and its orbit through the vast universe, always in tune with the unchangeable laws of nature. A beautiful and spare work that indeed evokes the awe and wisdom of the night.
Commissioned by Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Toronto, to commemorate the school's 25th anniversary.
Remarkably coincidental with the completion of this commission by Paul Halley, NASA announced a breakthrough discovery. On February 22, 2017, NASA announced the discovery of the most Earth-sized planets found in the habitable zone of a single star, called TRAPPIST-1. This system of seven rocky worlds–all of them with the potential for water on their surface–is an exciting discovery in the search for life on other worlds. There is the possibility that future study of this unique planetary system could reveal conditions suitable for life.
Video
Notes
Included in the Pelagosmusic recording "In The Wide Awe And Wisdom", with Keramion Singers, directed by Paul Halley (PEL1006).
Composer’s Notes
"On reading Roberts’ sonnet, the phrase “obedient unto laws/That utter the eternal thought of Him” stuck with me. I can only assume it was those ‘laws’ that sent me into the octatonic realm.
"The octave of the sonnet is set to music that adheres rigorously to this octatonic scale. The opening three lines of the sestet, “I compassed time…” still use the octatonic scale but in a more ‘romantic’ way. It was not until the fourth line of the sestet (the twelfth line of the poem) that I allowed myself the full use of all twelve tones – “At last I came before Him face to face”. For each iteration of this phrase the choir sings, in unison, the four tones ‘missing’ from the octatonic scale – F, G# (or Ab), B, and D. This section ends emphasizing the diminished chord made up of these four notes.
"The piece concludes with the repetition of the opening line “In the wide awe and wisdom of the night” with its recurring octatonic theme sung by the choir, but this time accompanied on the organ by all the tonal means available. After the choir fades out the organ returns to the strict octatonic patterns with which the piece began. The night sky has not changed while the poet’s soul has been transformed." - Paul Halley
Texts
In The Wide Awe And Wisdom Of The Night
Words: Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts (1860 - 1943)
Music: Paul Halley (1952 - )
In the wide awe and wisdom of the night
I saw the round world rolling on its way,
Beyond significance of depth or height,
Beyond the interchange of dark and day.
I marked the march to which is set no pause,
And that stupendous orbit, round whose rim
The great sphere sweeps, obedient unto laws
That utter the eternal thought of Him.
I compassed time, outstripped the starry speed,
And in my still soul apprehended space,
Till, weighing laws which these but blindly heed,
At last I came before Him face to face, --
And knew the Universe of no such span
As the august infinitude of Man.
