Elizabeth Alexander

Seafarer Press

SEA-119-00 $2.50

Song of KabirSATB a cappella

Song of Kabir

You are in us, and we are in You,

Each being distinct, yet ever united.

You are the tree, the seed, and the cell;

You are the flower, the fruit, and the shade;

You are the sun, the light, and the lighted;

You are the manifold form of infinite space;

You are the breath, the word, and the meaning;

You are the limit and the limitless.

You are the Immanent Mind in us;

You are the Supreme Soul within the soul.

Blessed are all who see You.

Kabir, adapted

Reprinted from Prayers of Power, edited by Herbert F. Vetter, published by Harvard Square Library

About the text: Rabindranath Tagore translated many of Kabir’s songs into English, introducing them to a

worldwide audience. His 1915 rendering of this poem reflects the writing style of Tagore’s culture and time:

“The creature is in Brahma, and Brahma is in the creature: they are ever distinct, yet ever united. He Himself is the

tree, the seed, and the germ. He Himself is the flower, the fruit, and the shade...”

The lyric used in this musical setting is adapted from Tagore’s version, in a modern rendering which reflects the

universality of Kabir’s deity, as well as the less florid language of our time.

The Indian poet Kabir (1440-1518) grew up amidst Hinduism and Islam, and was deeply influenced by both. Legend

has it that he was abandoned by his unwed Brahman mother and adopted by a lower caste Muslim weaver, and was

later influenced by the Hindu ascetic Ramananda.

Kabir had little use for the rites and trappings of any religion, and despised the pious quoting of scriptures, be it from

the Vedas or from the Quran. His poetry invoked the divine using both Hindu and Muslim names – “Allah” as well

as “Brahma” – but in all cases Kabir engaged with the divine in a deep and intimate way. Today he is revered by

Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike, and his songs are loved by people of all faiths.

Elizabeth Alexander spent her childhood in the Carolinas and the Appalachian region of Ohio. Her love of poetry

nearly eclipses her love of music, a passion which is reflected in her over 100 songs and choral works, which have

received thousands of performances around the world. Elizabeth lives in St. Paul, MN, where her frequent

commissions include works for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensembles and solo musicians.

Cover Art: “Saint Kabir” by Ketan S. Saindane (a.k.a. Ketology)

Ketan had a strong inclination for art ever since childhood. He received his Diploma in

Commercial Art at L.S. Raheja School of Art in Bandra, a suburb of West Mumbai, India.

He owns Inkholics Tattos in Navi Mumbai (New Bombay), where he lives with his family.

Kabir is often depicted as a weaver, reflecting his humble and unpretentious life. About

his unusual drawing, Ketan writes: “I wanted to make a sketch which would show Saint

Kabir’s passion, not his profession. To suggest the allure of his dohas (songs), I portrayed

him singing with his ektara (instrument) in the woods. The deer – a very shy animal who

doesn’t like to be around humans – nevertheless feels very comfortable in the jungle,

sitting beside a tree with Saint Kabir, without any fear, engrossed in the poet’s divine

songs. In this way I show that his poetry and music attract anyone and everyone.”

Kabir, adapted

Fluidly, as if chanted

Copyright 2013 by Elizabeth Alexander

All rights reserved.

Elizabeth AlexanderSATB a cappella

Song of Kabir

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You

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are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct,- yet ev er- u ni- ted.-

You

p

are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct,- yet ev er- u ni- ted.-

You

p

are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct,- yet ev er- u ni- ted.-

You

p

are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct,- yet ev er- u ni- ted.-

You are the tree, the seed, and the cell; You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the

You are the tree, the seed, and the cell; You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the

You are the tree, the seed, and the cell; You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the

You are the tree, the seed, and the cell; You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the

Seafarer PressSEA-119-00

Più mosso

Più mosso

10

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13 Meno mosso

Meno mosso

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shade; You are the sun,

mp warmly

the light, the light ed;- You are the

shade; You are the sun,

mp warmly

the light, the light ed;- You are the

shade; You are the sun,

mp warmly

the light, the light ed;- You are the

shade; You are the sun,

mp warmly

the light, the light ed;- You are the

man i- fold- form of in fin- ite- space;

p

You are the breath, the word, the

man i- fold- form of in fin- ite- space;

p

You are the breath, the word, the

man i- fold- form of in fin- ite- space;

p

You are the breath, the word, the

man i- fold- form of in fin- ite- space;

p

You are the breath, the word, the

2

Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous

web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael

deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey,

poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer

B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher,

composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web

designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa,

composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet

B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf

Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven

Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John

Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood,

poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret &

George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B

Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray

Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet

B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer

B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike,

proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill,

composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher

B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen,

artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald

Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B

Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B

Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner,

composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents

B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis,

composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B

Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet

B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet

B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper,

technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet

B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller

B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J.

David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

A COMPLETE PERUSAL COPY MAY BE PURCHASED

FROM ELIZABETH ALEXANDER AT

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A LOT OF HARD WORK &CREATIVITY

WENT INTO BRINGING

THIS MUSIC TO YOU...

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

ritardando

ritardando

24Meno mosso

Meno mosso

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29

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Soul Su preme- with in- the Soul. You

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are in us,

Soul Su preme- with in- the Soul. You

p

are in us,

Soul Su preme- with in- the Soul. You

p

are

Soul Su preme- with in- the Soul. You

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are

and we are in You, Bless ed- are all who see You.

and we are in You, Bless ed- are all who see You.

in us and we are in You, Bless ed- are all who see You.

in us and we are in You, Bless ed- are all who see You.

4

Growing up in the Carolinas and Appalachian Ohio, Elizabeth Alexander gained her love of language

and music from her parents, a minister and a piano teacher. These twin passions are reflected in her

catalogue of over 100 choral and vocal pieces, which have received over 20 national and international

awards, and been performed by thousands of choirs.

Reviewers have commented on “the close personal resonance between the composer and the words,” her

music’s “delicacy and sincerity,” and its “elegance, subtle unexpected harmonic turns, and...freshness

within a well-known language.” Her wide-ranging compositional influences include classical, folk,

atonality, Latin and classic jazz, and gospel.

A 2011 McKnight Fellow, she has received awards and fellowships from

the Jerome Foundation, New York Council on the Arts, Wisconsin Arts

Board, National Orchestral Association, International League of Women

Composers, and American Composers Forum. Her composition teachers

have included Jack Gallagher at The College of Wooster, and Steven

Stucky, Yehudi Wyner and Karel Husa at Cornell University, from which

she received her doctorate in music composition.

Other performers of her music have included orchestras such as

Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra and

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra; chamber ensembles North/South

Consonance, Society for New Music, and Sounds New; and singers Ruth

MacKenzie, Bradley Greenwald, Christina Baldwin, Janet Youngdahl,

Andrea Cawelti, David Gagnon, Libby Turner-Opanga, Linda Larson and

Cheryl Coker.

Elizabeth lives in St. Paul, MN, where her frequent commissions include works for orchestra, chorus,

chamber ensembles and solo musicians. She reads voraciously, shamelessly encourages her teenagers’

jokes, makes pretty good biscuits, and tends her garden during the three month period in Minnesota that

is not winter.

She believes she has the best job in the world.

Selected Choral Music by Elizabeth Alexander

April Rain Song (Langston Hughes) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-006-01

Before the Bread (English folk prayer) SSSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-023-00

Blessed Be the Flower That Triumphs (Michael deVernon Boblett) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-078-00

Cherish Your Doubt (Alexander) SATB & piano / SSAA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-063-01 / SEA-063-02

Climb (Edna St. Vincent Millay) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-059-00

Dragon Dance (Elizabeth Alexander) S & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-001-00

Die Gedanken Sind Frei (155h century German protest song, arr.) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-087-00

The Earth Called To My Friend (Nancy Wood) SSA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-057-00

Even a Fist Was Once an Open Palm (Yehuda Amichai) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-026-01

Faith Is the Bird That Feels the Light (Rabindranath Tagore) SSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-068-00

Fighting Over What We Believe (Alexander) SAB youth choir, SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-099-00

Finally On My Way To Yes (Pesha Gertler) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-019-00

Folks, I’m Telling You (Langston Hughes) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-027-00

For So the Children Come (Sophia Fahs) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-010-00

Glen Song (Scott Bates) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-025-00

Go Out! (John Murray) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-081-00

I Write This Poem Out of Darkness (George Ella Lyon) SSA, flute, violin & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-024-00

If You Can Walk You Can Dance (Zimbabwean Proverb) SAB & piano / TTB & piano . . SEA-022-03 / SEA-022-05

Immortal Love (John Greenleaf Whittier) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-017-00

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (arr. Polish carol) SSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-020-00

The Journey (Evelyn Dudley) TTBB / SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-075-00 / SEA-075-01

Jump! (Ray Bradbury) SSA & string quartet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-090-00

Life is not a Garden (Alexander) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-064-00

May This Be a Working Alleluia (Alexander) Children’s choir, SATB & piano (opt. flute & trumpets) . SEA-098-00

Morning Bread (Amy Lowell) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-060-00

...or a musician (Philip Dacey) SATB & orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-007-00

A Palette To Paint Us As We Are (Gerald Rich) SA & piano / SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . SEA-014-00 / SEA-014-01

Praise Wet Snow Falling Early (Denise Levertov) SATB & piano SEA-015-00

Reasons for the Perpetuation of Slavery (Alexander) SSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-091-00

Spring Grass (Carl Sandburg) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-006-03

They Have Freckles Everywhere (Alexander) SSAA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-076-00

Those Who Wish To Sing Always Find a Song (Swedish proverb) SSS, oboe & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-022-01

To Make a Prairie (Emily Dickinson) SSA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-016-00

Tomorrow, God Willing (Garrison Keillor) TTBB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-077-00

Trust the Seeds (Alexander) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-009-00

We Lift Up Our Hearts (Richard Fewkes) Children’s choir, SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-021-00

We Remember Them (Sylvan Kamens & Jack Riemer) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-083-01

Where There Is Light in the Soul (Chinese proverb) SAB/SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-070-00 / SEA-070-01

When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled (Howard Thurman) SSAA / TTBB . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-062-04 / SEA-062-02

Why I Pity the Woman Who Never Spills (Joan Wolf Prefontaine) SSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-058-00

CD: Finally On My Way To Yes — Award-winning choral works by Elizabeth Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-CD-001

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