Composer: Donald M. SkirvinDetailsFormat: Mixed Choir - 4 voicesVoicing: SATBIncidental Divisi: S, A, T, BAccompaniment: unaccompaniedNotation: standardPerformance Length: 6:26 Study Scores & Audio FilesStudy Score & Audio Order Printed ScoresPublisher: J.W. Pepper MSDS02-10 Order site / Alternate source of score: donaldmskirvin.com Texts & TranslationsLanguage(s): EnglishText Source: Diamond Sutra, Gordon E. AbshireText: The Diamond Sutra Section XXXII (edited and revised by composer) As a lamp misted with dew, as stars at dawn, froth and bubbles in a stream, lightning flickering in the clouds, phantoms and dreams, so view the fleeting world. Impermanence By Gordon E. Abshire No matter the shallow stream I cannot cross. The willows on the near bank Restrain me. My hearth is cold I watched the last ember die The ashes scatter in the draft Wind rattles the shutters. My humble cottage trembles At the base of the mountain Crows fly randomly Against the slate sky. I watch the boat in the river The sun sets reluctantly Summer’s flowers dry in the wind Gray rocks await the frost. Old Pilings pierce the shore Small craft ride gently on the tide The memory of other boats Disturbs the water’s surface. I shake the dust from small boxes Searching for dried flowers Plucked from summer’s bounty. A lifetime’s unfamiliar tokens. One small boat braves the wind Cuts through rippling water Determined and solitary. Mist gathers in the distance. Small feathers nestle in the grass. A rough breeze disturbs them. Yet the grass is still. A falcon rides the wind. I am alone in this empty room. Dry branches whisper The door blows open My wounded heart is fed. Cold sunset, colder river Leaves tumble in the meadow This season comes too soon Night settles quickly, gently. Programming AidsPerformance Difficulty: moderateDescriptive Terms: meditativeBuddhistimpermanenceenlightenmentAllow Excerpts: Composition is a single movementComposer’s Notes: Quiet, meditative final movement of “Songs of Enlightenment,” a three-movement work that sets Buddhist texts and Buddhist-themed poetry. Rich harmonies and striking poetic imagery are featured in this concert piece. The text focuses on the concept of impermanence, beginning with verses from Buddhist scripture. Additional InformationDate of Completion: August, 2005Date of First Performance: Saturday, December 10, 2005Premier Performance Data: The Esoterics (Eric Banks, cond), Seattle, WAAdditional Performances: May 2007, The Esoterics (Eric Banks, cond)