Скачать или смотреть Rest Gently (SATB Version) Colin Taylor

I was fortunate enough of having a recording of this work done by The Quintessential Vocal Ensemble in The Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This was recorded by Stephen Lilly in a private session in October 2013.

Rest Gently is a choral work originally composed for equal voices, a medium I chose for its beauty, and brilliance. I later decide to revisit the work and recompose it for mixed voices, and in the processes I ended up make some significant changes. Interestingly enough the text for this work was written after the music, the emotion and mood of the music actually guided me in the process of writing the text. And even though the text communicates an emotional message, personally I feel that the music more so embodies my personal emotions through its colours, textures and growth.

The harmonic content is built up from C Major and Minor scales, but though there are places where elements of tradition harmony exists, it is the textures that outline the phrase shapes and musical growth. In this work I use motifs in a different manner than they are more commonly treated. Instead of using melodic motifs as the main building blocks for music line, I use something I like to refer to as textural motifs. The textural motif that is the pillar of this composition, is a "flowering" motif. In this motif, I start ideas with the choir singing in unison and then the music blossoms out to a colourful chord by then end of a phrase. This idea was inspired by mother's old garden and her passion of caring for it. This work also features sections that are meant to be sung freely and without the constraints of metre, but still in a natural flowing manner.
Though the text was written after the music, I've arranged it into a short poem. The text and the music were written in response to the feeling I have of the loss of my mother. It expresses what I would tell her now if it were at all possible: That she need worry about me now that she is gone. And enough though I have, and will suffer hardship, I won't let it lead me astray.

"Rest Gently"
I will not lose sight,
even though you're gone.
I'll find my way.

Rest gently, rest gently
until we can meet again.

I will not lose sight.
Grief will not mask my path,
nor will I let dreary thoughts corrupt my mind.
Darkness shall not prevail,
it will be trampled by the light.

Sing, sing with angels!
I'll find my way.
I will not lose sight.
Rest gently for now,
until we can meet again.