To the Field of Stars

The S:t Jacobs Chamber Choir under the direction of Gary Graden presents this CD of newly composed music on the themes of travel and pilgrimage: journeys in time and space. Cosmic journeys to find one’s self and the meaning of life. A central figure in the lyrics is the patron saint of travelers, Saint James, Sankt Jacob, Santiago.

Gabriel Jackson’s 30-minute-long cantata “To the Field of Stars” revolves around the pilgrim city of Santiago di Compostela (”field of stars”). The lyrics stem from a variety of eras and locations, penned by poets such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman as William Cowper. This piece was commissioned for choir, cello and percussion, and this is the first recording released.

The other two pieces on this CD feature lyrics by the 1913 Nobel Prize laureate in literature, Rabindranath Tagore.  The composer Hans Schanderl was inspired by the German version of Gitanjali No. 12 in the ostinato-like “Pilgrimage”, taking us on a spiritual voyage that ends with the declaration “I am” – “Ich bin”.

The final track is Enrico Miaroma’s “Farewell”, with lyrics from Gitanjali No. 93. “ I am ready for my departure. I leave you the keys to my house and thank you for your last kind words. We were neighbors for so long, but I received more than I could give.”