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SEA-119-00
Song of KabirSATB a cappella
Elizabeth Alexander
Seafarer Press
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 from a translation by Rabindranath Tagore
Reprinted from Prayers of Power, edited by Herbert F. Vetterand published by Harvard Square Library
Composer’s Note: Most of my music has been commissioned for specific occasions or performers, so Idon’t always have complete control over a given piece’s theme, length, difficulty, mood or style. Theseartistic “nudges” have often resulted in my growth as a composer, prompting me to get out of mycomfort zone and write music that I would not have imagined otherwise.
But some pieces were written simply because I was inspired, growing out of exactly where I was at themoment I conceived them. Song of Kabir is one of those pieces. Once I heard how the opening measurescould breathe and flow, I simply couldn’t wait for an interested commissioning party to come along. Ifell headlong into Kabir’s universal and intimate vision of divine presence, both of and beyond thisworld.
The Indian poet Kabir (1440-1518) grew up amidst Hinduism and Islam, and was deeply influenced byboth. Legend has it that he was abandoned by his unwed Brahman mother and adopted by a lower casteMuslim 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 ofscriptures, be it from the Vedas or from the Quran. His poetry invoked the divine using both Hindu andMuslim names – “Allah” as well as “Brahma” – but in all cases Kabir engaged with the divine in a deepand intimate way. Today he is revered by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike, and his songs are loved bypeople of all faiths.
About the translation: Rabindranath Tagore translated many of Kabir’s songs into English, introducingthem to a worldwide audience. His 1915 rendering of this poem reflects the writing style of Tagore’sculture and time: “The creature is in Brahma, and Brahma is in the creature: they are ever distinct, yetever united. He Himself is the tree, the seed, and the germ. He Himself is the flower, the fruit, and theshade...”
The lyric used in this musical setting is adapted from Tagore’s version, in a modern rendering whichreflects the universality of Kabir’s deity as well as the less florid language of our time.
Kabir, adapted
Fluidly, as if chanted
© 2014 by Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander
SATB 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
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are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct, yet
You
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are in us and we are in You, Each dis tinct, yet
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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;
ev er u ni ted. You are the tree, the seed, and the cell;
ev er u ni ted. You are the tree, the seed, and the cell;
ev er u ni ted. You are the tree, the seed, and the cell;
Seafarer Press / SEA-119-00
8Più mosso
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You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the shade; You are the
You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the shade; You are the
You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the shade; You are the
You are the flow’r, the fruit, and the shade; You are the
sun,
mp warmly
the light, the light ed; You are the
sun,
mp warmly
the light, the light ed; You are the
sun,
mp warmly
the light, the light ed; You are the
sun,
mp warmly
the light, the light ed; You are the
Seafarer Press / SEA-119-00
Song of Kabir (SATB a cappella) - Choral Score2
Opal Palmer Adisa, poet • Paul Adams, technological hero • Stephen Alexander, lyric consultant • Ginny Allen,
Agile coach and friend • The great people at American Composers Forum • Yehuda Amichai, poet • A. R.
Ammons, poet • Jennifer Anderson, conductor and composer advocate • Scott Bates, poet • Abbie Betinis,
initiator of collaborative endeavors • Beth Norton, conductor and composer advocate • Dennis Blubaugh, more
than just a music dealer • Michael deVernon Boblett, poet • Edna Busby, my first piano teacher • Ray
Bradbury, writer • Augustin Cadena, translator • Norbert Capek, minister and advocate for religious freedom
Jessica Corbin, conductor and composer advocate • e. e. cummings, poet • Philip Dacey, poet • Catherine
Dalton, composer and scrum partner • Emily Dickinson, poet • Evelyn Dudley, poet and caregiver • Rob
Eller-Isaacs, minister and writer • Emily Ellsworth, conductor and composer advocate • Ralph Waldo Emerson,
philosopher and poet • Louise Erdrich, writer • David Allan Evans, poet • Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer • Richard M.
Fewkes, minister and writer • Pesha Gertler, poet • Jack Gallagher, composer and teacher • Paul Gerike,
proofreader • Jocelyn Hagen and Tim Takach, founders of Graphite Marketplace • Steve Harper, just about
everything • Steve Hawkins, web designer • Edie Hill, composer and friend • Langston Hughes, poet • Margaret
and George Alexander, parents • Mark Humphrey, piano technician • Karel Husa, composer and teacher • David
Ignatow, poet • Kabir, mystic • Linda Kachelmeier, composer and scrum partner • Ruth Palmer, conductor and
composer advocate • Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet • Paul Rardin, conductor and composer advocate • Kalidasa,
poet • Steve Kaul, recording engineer • Søren Kierkegaard, philosopher and poet
Dorothy Knost, piano teacher • Ben Krywosz, artistic director of Nautilus
Music-Theater • Denise Levertov, poet • George Ella Lyon, poet
Jonathan Machen, artist • Ruth MacKenzie, collaborative
vocalist • Dawna Markova, writer • Anne Matlack,
conductor and composer advocate • Nancy Menk,
conductor and composer advocate • Edna St. Vincent
Millay, poet • Jane Ramseyer Miller,
conductor, composer, social activist
• Joe Mish, conductor and composer
advocate • J. David Moore, composer
and friend • Lilian Moore, poet
Gerald Rich, poet • Carl Sandburg, poet
Jason Shelton, conductor, composer and
friend • King Sigismund III, religious
reformer • Ann Silsbee, composer, poet and
friend • Simon Alexander-Adams, sounding
board, fellow creative, and awesome son
Steven Stucky, composer and teacher
Rabindranath Tagore, poet • Sister Peronne
Marie Thibert, teacher and writer • Oliver
Alexander-Adams, unconventional thinker and
light of my life • Howard Thurman, civil rights
leader and writer • Everyone whose work supports
the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music
Ministries • Charles Varney, high school choral director
Ana Vonhuben, illustrator and graphic designer • Nancy White, poet
John Greenleaf Whittier, poet • Theodore Chickering Williams, poet • Daniel Winter, pianist and
teacher • Nancy Wood, poet • Yehudi Wyner, composer and teacher
A lot of hard work and creativity went into bringing this music to you...
...and some of it was even mine.
This page has been intentionally omitted. (You know why.) A complete perusal score may be
purchased through any music store or dealer.
www.seafarerpress.comThe Music of Elizabeth Alexander
Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret & George Alexander, parents Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous
web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael
deVernon Boblett, poet Ray Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey,
poet Emily Dickinson, poet Evelyn Dudley, poet Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer
Richard M. Fewkes, writer Pesha Gertler, poet Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher,
composer/teacher Paul Gerike, proofreader Steve Harper, technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web
designer Edie Hill, composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa,
composer/teacher Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet
Jonathan Machen, artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J. David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf
Prefontaine, poet Gerald Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King Sigismund III, religious reformer Steven
Stucky, composer/teacher Rabindranath Tagore, poet Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer John
Greenleaf Whittier, poet Theodore Chickering Williams, poet Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher Nancy Wood,
poet Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher Paul Adams, technical advisor Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret &
George Alexander, parents Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael deVernon Boblett, poet Ray
Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey, poet Emily Dickinson, poet
Evelyn Dudley, poet Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer Richard M. Fewkes, writer
Pesha Gertler, poet Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher Paul Gerike,
proofreader Steve Harper, technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web designer Edie Hill,
composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa, composer/teacher
Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet Jonathan Machen,
artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J. David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet Gerald
Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King Sigismund III, religious reformer Steven Stucky, composer/teacher Rabindranath Tagore, poet Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer John Greenleaf Whittier, poet Theodore Chickering Williams, poet Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher Nancy Wood, poet Yehudi Wyner,
composer/teacher Paul Adams, technical advisor Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret & George Alexander, parents
Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis,
composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael deVernon Boblett, poet Ray Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey, poet Emily Dickinson, poet Evelyn Dudley, poet
Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer Richard M. Fewkes, writer Pesha Gertler, poet
Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher Paul Gerike, proofreader Steve Harper,
technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web designer Edie Hill, composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet
Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa, composer/teacher Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller
Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet Jonathan Machen, artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J.
David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet Gerald Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King
Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret & George Alexander, parents Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous
web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael
deVernon Boblett, poet Ray Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey,
poet Emily Dickinson, poet Evelyn Dudley, poet Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer
Richard M. Fewkes, writer Pesha Gertler, poet Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher,
composer/teacher Paul Gerike, proofreader Steve Harper, technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web
designer Edie Hill, composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa,
composer/teacher Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet
Jonathan Machen, artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J. David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf
Prefontaine, poet Gerald Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King Sigismund III, religious reformer Steven
Stucky, composer/teacher Rabindranath Tagore, poet Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer John
Greenleaf Whittier, poet Theodore Chickering Williams, poet Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher Nancy Wood,
poet Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher Paul Adams, technical advisor Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret &
George Alexander, parents Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael deVernon Boblett, poet Ray
Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey, poet Emily Dickinson, poet
Evelyn Dudley, poet Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer Richard M. Fewkes, writer
Pesha Gertler, poet Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher Paul Gerike,
proofreader Steve Harper, technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web designer Edie Hill,
composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa, composer/teacher
Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet Jonathan Machen,
artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J. David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet Gerald
Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King Sigismund III, religious reformer Steven Stucky, composer/teacher Rabindranath Tagore, poet Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer John Greenleaf Whittier, poet Theodore Chickering Williams, poet Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher Nancy Wood, poet Yehudi Wyner,
composer/teacher Paul Adams, technical advisor Opal Palmer Adisa, poet Margaret & George Alexander, parents
Yehuda Amichai, poet Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer Scott Bates, poet Abbie Betinis,
composer/colleague Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer Michael deVernon Boblett, poet Ray Bradbury, writer Norbert Capek, visionary e. e. cummings, poet Philip Dacey, poet Emily Dickinson, poet Evelyn Dudley, poet
Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer Richard M. Fewkes, writer Pesha Gertler, poet
Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher Paul Gerike, proofreader Steve Harper,
technical advisor Steve Hawkins, generous web designer Edie Hill, composer/colleague Langston Hughes, poet
Mark Humphrey, piano technician Karel Husa, composer/teacher Kalidasa, poet Garrison Keillor, storyteller
Denise Levertov, poet George Ella Lyon, poet Jonathan Machen, artist Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet J.
David Moore, composer/colleague Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet Gerald Rich, poet Carl Sandburg, poet King
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lim it, and the
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lim it, and the li mit less.
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lim it, and the li mit less.
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lim it, and the li mit less.
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You are the
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in us;
us;
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are
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You are the Im ma nent Mind in us; You are the
You are the Im ma nent Mind in us; You are the
You are the Im ma nent Mind in us; You are the
Seafarer Press / SEA-119-00
Song of Kabir (SATB a cappella) - Choral Score4
ritardando24
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Soul Su preme with in the Soul.
Soul Su preme with in the Soul.
Soul Su preme with in the Soul.
Soul Su preme with in the Soul.
You
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are in us, and we are in
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are in us, and we are in
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are in us and we are in
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are in us and we are in
Seafarer Press / SEA-119-00
Song of Kabir (SATB a cappella) - Choral Score 5
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You, Bless ed are all who see You.
You, Bless ed are all who see You.
You, Bless ed are all who see You.
You, Bless ed are all who see You.
Seafarer Press / SEA-119-00
Song of Kabir (SATB a cappella) - Choral Score6
Cover Art: “Saint Kabir”by Ketan S. Saindane (a.k.a. Ketology)
Ketan Saindane received his Diploma in CommercialArt at L.S. Raheja School of Art in Bandra, a suburb ofWest Mumbai. He owns Inkholics Tattoos in NaviMumbai (New Bombay), where he lives with hisfamily.
Kabir is typically depicted as a weaver, reflecting hishumble and unpretentious life. About his unusualportrayal of Kabir, Ketan writes: “I wanted to make asketch which would show Saint Kabir’s passion, not hisprofession. To suggest the allure of his dohas (songs), Iportrayed him singing with his ektara (instrument) inthe woods. The deer – a very shy animal who doesn’tlike to be around humans – nevertheless feels verycomfortable in the jungle, sitting beside a tree withSaint Kabir, without any fear, engrossed in the poet’sdivine songs. In this way I show that his poetry andmusic attract anyone and everyone.”
