Dark Night of the Soul by Ola Gjeilo

Wait for the climax that begins at 9:15 in the above video — I selected this recording because composer Ola Gjeilo is on piano. James River Singers nailed this piece Friday night in Richmond.

Lyrics of CWU’s rendition:

Dark night, one dark night, fired with love’s urgent longings — ah, the sheer grace! — I went out unseen, my house being now all stilled. Ah, the sheer grace! I went out unseen, my house being now all stilled.

In darkness and secure, by the secret ladder disguised, in darkness and concealment, my house being now all stilled, all stilled. Ah, the sheer grace! In darkness and concealment, my house being now all stilled, all stilled.

Ah, the sheer grace! . . .

On that glad night, on that glad night in secret, for no one saw me. Ah, the sheer grace! (chant: Ah, the grace! Ah, the sheer grace! . . .) Nor did I look at anything, with no other light or guide than the one that burned in my heart.

Dark night of the soul . . .

In the composer's words:

Ola Gjeilo (pronounced Yay-lo) composed this piece in 2010. He writes: “The text, three stanzas from St. John of the Cross’ magical poem Dark Night of the Soul, was suggested to me by Joel Rinsema, Executive Director of the Phoenix Chorale, and I fell in love with its passionate spirituality right away. One of the things I wanted to do in this piece was to make the choir and piano fairly equal, as if in a dialogue; often the piano is accompanying the choir, but sometimes the choir is accompanying the piano or violin as well, with the choir kind of taking the role of a soft, but rich ‘string orchestra’ texture. I just love the sound of voices humming chords, it creates a sound that can be so evocative and warm, especially when doubled by a string quartet. To me, that sound combination has a similar effect to a great synth pad, only it perhaps feels more organic and alive.”

In the conductor's words:

David Pedersen of the James River Singers comments: “The use of the 7/8 time signature, lush harmonies, and highly expressive instrumental parts provide a glimpse of the transcendent meaning of the text.”