Program Notes

Ouroborus is an ancient symbol depicting a Snake, serpent, or dragon eating its own tail. It is symbolic of time and of the continuity of life.

The Ecclesiastes passage deals with just this idea of Continuity. The Sopranos sing the Latin text, the rest of the choir sings in English, echoing the Sopranos. The piano provides the bells that keep announcing the continual passage of time.

Commissioned by and dedicated to Magen Solomon for ProCoro Canada

English Text Freely adapted by composer from Ecclesiastes 4-7,  the King James Version

generatio praeterit et generatio advenit terra vero in aeternum stat oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur ibique renascens gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus et in circulos suos regreditur omnia flumina intrant mare et mare non redundat ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant

~ ~ ~

Generations come, generations go but the earth abides forever The sun rises and sets always to rise again The wind blows north and south, whirling around its boundless path Rivers all run into the sea yet the sea is not full Water flows back to the rivers from whence it came