SPRING CALLS, music based on Canticles (Shir Hashirim)

Spring Calls

for soprano and ensemble

Duration:	10.5 minutes
Instrumentation:	Leggero Soprano (also plays small percussion instruments),Flute, Viola, Cello and Harp

Program notes:
“Spring Calls” for soprano, flute, viola, cello and harp is a setting of texts from the second chapter of Canticles (Shir Hashirim) book, known also as “The Song of Songs.” It is one of the five “Megilot” – sacred scrolls that are part of the Hebrew Bible. Canticles is mainly being read in Passover, the “holiday of spring.” Its theme is love and rebirth of love, symbolized by the spring.

Usually, only one or two lines of Canticles texts are being set to music. However, I had an interest to create a sort of journey as well as a psychological journey of a woman who searches, awaits and discovers her love. The text parallels the awakening of love with the awakening of spring in a most vivid and colorful way. While choosing instrumentation and musical language to with work, the modal, archaic sound mixed with the new was in my vision. Therefore, one can hear colors of certain exotic and primeval instruments such as the sistrum – an ancient Egyptian percussion instrument, dated from 2500 B.C. used mostly for religious ceremonies.

“Spring Calls” was written for Close Encounters With Music, Yehuda Hanani – artistic director. It was generously commissioned by Lola and Edwin Jaffe with deep appreciation to their support.


Year composed:	2006
Text Origin:	Canticles 2; 1-13 (also known as “The Songs of Songs” or “Shir Hashirim”
Language:	Hebrew (also available in Latin characters)
English Translation:	Available
Commissioned By:	Lola and Edwin Jaffe
Written for:	Close Encounters With Music, Yehuda Hanani – artistic director
Premiere performance:	26 May 2007, Great Barrington, MA , USA Close Encounters With Music.
Percussion instruments played by the singer: (available for rent)	Finger Cymbals Sistrum Group of small cow bells Small Indian bells. Pair of small and light Chinese / Tibetan hand cymbals [tingshaws]
Listen:
Original Text:	Ani chavatzelet hasharon shoshanat ha’amakim. Kashoshana bein hachochim ken ra’aayayati bein habanot. Ketapooach bein watzey haya’ar ken dodi bein habanim. betzilo chimadti veyashavti upiryo matok lechiki. Heviani el beit hayayin heviani el beit hayayin vediglo ‘alay ahava. Samchuni baashishot rapdooni batapuchim ki cholat ahava cholat ahava ani Smolo tachat leroshi viymino techabkeni. Heshbaati etchem bnot Yerushalaim Bitzvaor o beaylot hasade im ta’iroo ve’im te’oreroo et ha’ahava ’ad shetechpatz. Kol dodi kol dodi kol dodi hine ze ba medaleg ‘al heharim mekapetz ‘al hagvaot. Dome dodi letzvi o leofer haayalim; Hine ze omed achar katlenu, min hachalonot matzitz min hacharachim. ‘Ana dodi veamar lee koomi lach r’aayati, yafati ulchi lach. ki hine hastav ‘avar hageshem chalaf halach lo hanitzanim nir’u baaretz; et hazamir hegi’aa vekol hator nishma beartzenu Hate’ena chanta pageyha vehagfanim smadar natnoo reiach. koomi l’chi r’ayati yafati oolchi lach.
English Translation:	I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, and its fruit was sweet to my taste. He hath brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me is love. ‘Stay ye me with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.’ Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me. ‘I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please.’ Hark! my beloved! behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh in through the windows, he peereth through the lattice. My beloved spoke, and said unto me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.