Here we go again, walking into darkness starting with the end of Daylight Saving Time on the first Sunday of November and marching on through to the Winter Solstice on December 21 when at last the days begin to grow longer.
There are different ways to handle darkness, and one is by looking directly into it. This year the Chalice Choir is working on John Rutter’s Requiem, starting with the second movement called “Out of the Deep.” The lyrics are from Psalm 130, a plea to find solace by holding fast to the divine. The full Requiem masterwork consists of seven choral anthems, each based on a different text, each with its own character and insight, together moving from darkness to ethereal light.
Another way of handling darkness is to create lightness and celebrate it. The Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 27), members of the Chalice Choir will join me in presenting “An Experience in Listening.” This is a chance to listen deeply and revel in novelty. Our musical centerpiece, “Cosmic Festival,” is a spiral-shaped composition that reminds me of the lighted spiral mounted on the ceiling of the Parish Hall. I can hear that twinkle of light in darkness!
Susan Land Hotchkiss, Director of Music
