The Celestial Fire

Basic Information

Instrumentation: Choral (SATB)
Duration: 4:40
Year composed: 2009

Description

Based on a Hebrew text, “Now an angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire.” Written in Hebrew.

Lyrics

poem by Yannai
translation by T. Carmi

“uv-KHEYN va-YEY-re mal-AWKH a-do-NOY ey-LAWV b’-la-BAS eysh:”

eysh a-SHER khi okh-LAW eysh
eysh bo-E-res bi-y’-vey-SHIM v’khla-KHIM
eysh go-KHE-les b’-SHE-leg v’-ki-TOR
eysh do-MAW la-a-RI ro-VEYS
eysh ha-mar-AW KA-maw mar-OS
eysh va-DAI ki lo kaw-VAW
eysh zo-RA-khas vm’-sho-TSE-tses
eysh kho-SHE-shes vmis-la-kaw-KHAS
eysh taw-SAW b’-RU-akh s’-aw-RAW
eysh yo-KE-des b’-E-fes tsey-TSIM
eysh ki kol yom mis-kha-DE-shes
eysh lo nup-KHAWS mey-EYSH
eysh ma-a-LAW lu-la-BIN
eysh ni-tso-TSE-haw heym hab-raw-KIM […]
eysh sh’-kho-RAW kaw-o-REYV
eysh tal-ta-LIM k’-tsiv-EY KE-shes.

Now an angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire —

a fire that devours fire;
a fire that burns in things dry and moist;
a fire that glows amid snow and ice;
a fire that is like a crouching lion;
a fire that reveals itself in many forms;
a fire that is, and never expires;
a fire that shines and roars;
a fire that blazes and sparkles;
a fire that flies in a storm wind;
a fire that burns without wood;
a fire that renews itself every day;
a fire that is not fanned by fire;
a fire that billows like palm branches;
a fire whose sparks are flashes of lightning;
a fire black as a raven;
a fire, curled, like the colours of the rainbow!

Score & Recording

MIDI realization of The Celestial Fire

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