Ok. This is really sublime. And because 2017 is the Bicentennial year of the Birth of Baha'u'llah, we decided we really had to sing it at the 2017 Australian Baha'i Choral Festival! The harmonies are so rich and glorious. The shape of the music reflects the text so well. The climax just brings you to heaven and the ending keeps you there. The composer is (or was) a student at St Olaf College in Minnesota, USA, where he was pursuing his Bachelor of Music in both Vocal Performance and Music Education. He writes the story of how he composed this piece, which can be found on the last page of his published music (available from Santa Barbara Music Publishiing):
"The inspiration for This is the Day originated with a friend of his Khashiar Shahbazi, who with great excitement shared this passage he had read as part of his daily devotional. Stanford was instantly touched by the sheer magnitude and power of the message, as well as its elegance and grace. This piece is my best musical translation of that sensation.
The first part of the piece (mm 1-33) was composed with a sense of awe at God's power, and should be sung accordingly. The latter part of the piece is meant to give a sense of peaceful rest to the singer and listener, with an air of intimacy in mm. 40-46."
The quotation Stanford is referring to reads as follows:
"This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving kindness". ~ Baha'u'llah.
Purchase the sheet music here: http://www.sbmp.com/SR2.php?CatalogNumber=916
Enjoy this beautiful rendition!
"The inspiration for This is the Day originated with a friend of his Khashiar Shahbazi, who with great excitement shared this passage he had read as part of his daily devotional. Stanford was instantly touched by the sheer magnitude and power of the message, as well as its elegance and grace. This piece is my best musical translation of that sensation.
The first part of the piece (mm 1-33) was composed with a sense of awe at God's power, and should be sung accordingly. The latter part of the piece is meant to give a sense of peaceful rest to the singer and listener, with an air of intimacy in mm. 40-46."
The quotation Stanford is referring to reads as follows:
"This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving kindness". ~ Baha'u'llah.
Purchase the sheet music here: http://www.sbmp.com/SR2.php?CatalogNumber=916
Enjoy this beautiful rendition!