You can both SEE and hear the performance of the music I hope you’ll let me share with you today. It’s a marvelous video!

Two months ago, in Washington DC, my “Lament, Prophecy and Alleluia for the People of Ukraine” was performed by the Thomas Circle Singers under the direction of Dr. Miles Canaday.

The text, which I will include below, is a distillation of the Book of Amos. Amos specifically addresses what he deemed to be the wayward people of ancient Israel, but his words have long been interpreted as being addressed to all humans everywhere.

He takes us to task for putting self-interest ahead of all other interests.

Given the title of the work, the singers and listeners understand Amos’ words as being addressed to the Russian aggressors in the Ukraine. But the words are also aimed at each of us when greed and power-lust lead us astray and we trample, in one sense or another, the weak.

Similarly, Amos’ vision of a better world -- a place of abundance and justice -- is not only in store for the people of Israel in ancient times. It awaits all of us. But I think especially of those who are suffering in Ukraine who “shall rebuild their ruined cities.” And I think, too, of the Russians when they repent. One day they will. Just look at Germany today.

Here is the text:

Keep silent; for it is an evil time.

Take away the noise of your songs and the melody of your harps.

Who forms the mountains and creates the wind declares to us His thought; who brings morning out of darkness and treads the heights of the earth declares to us His thought; the Lord, the God of hosts is His name, and He declares to us His thought:

"You have built houses of stone, you shall not dwell in them; you have planted vineyards, you shall never drink their wine.

Hear this, who trample the poor: shall the land not tremble?

Behold the days are coming when I will turn your feasts into mourning and your songs into sorrow because you sell the righteous, for gold you sell the righteous, because the poor you trample, down into the dust you trample, because you turn aside from the afflicted.

Instead let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an everflowing stream. And the mountains shall pour forth sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.

I will restore the fortunes of my people and they shall rebuild their ruined cities, and they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat of their fruit.

Thus will I restore my people."

Alleluia. Amen.

To see and hear the performance, copy and paste this link into your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkFKV7FvujU

There's also a link to a PDF of the score, above.

I'd love to know what you think about this performance; reply if you're inclined. But please don't feel that you are expected to reply. I'm just glad to share my work in this way.

As always, feel free to forward this message to friends who might enjoy it.

Anyone can be on my little list of recipients for these mpFrees (as I call these musical emails). To sign up, people can email me at rick@sowash.com, sending just one word: "Yes." I'll know what it means.

Rick Sowash
Cincinnati, OH
May 5, 2024