This is a really ancient text by Synesius of Cyrene (375-430), translated by Allen William Chatfield (1808-96), a Charterhouse alum (Genesis fans will recognize the reference), and set to the tune Southwell that has been appearing in hymnals since 1876 or so, though it dates back to Daman's Psalter from 1579. All I've done here is set it to guitar, laid down some eerie synth pads with one of my favorite patches, stood a bit too close to the mic, jazzed up the beat (à la Jethro Tull's "Bourée" or any number of pieces on their Christmas album), and added a flute solo, which is actually not as Tullish as you might expect: not so snarly, spitty, lilty, or even all that dynamic. The mystery of tune and text seemed to call for something fairly dry, steady, and sober, not dripping with emotion, while the simplicity of the tune wanted some mysterious intervals—OK, maybe a little bit of lilt—in the flute solo as well as a certain rhythmic slippage or laziness (there is a lot of that on this album, which I hope may serve to offset the quantization that pervades everything these days). The title of this text brought to mind the petition of the repentant thief on the cross, but while hymnary.com lists Luke 23 among gobs of other scripture references underlying the lyric, Holy Week is not among the liturgical occasions suggested for its use. Obviously, by including it here, I would like to suggest it might be. It certainly warrants singing in Lent.
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Meanwhile, the physical CD — an imminently endangered species! (going away in May) — is here.
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