The Return of the Lamb
(The score and a video are at the end of this blog)
A Lamb is gentle and soft. A Tiger (Tyger) is fierce, hard,
deadly and dangerous. How could the same God make the lamb and the tiger? How
could an all loving and omnipotent God make both?How dare He?When he made the
Tyger was He pleased with what he had made?
Welcome to a musical theodicy - a very light weight attempt
to use music to vindicate "the goodness of God in the face of the
existence of evil".
William Blake's two poems The Lamb and The Tyger state the problem facing
theodicy in chilling clarity.
The music is very short and in three parts.
The words in the first part are extracts from The Lamb.
The words in the second part the second part are from The Tyger.
The third part is music and words
I wrote the music for the first two parts: the music for the
third part is universally loved and in the public domain.
Here is a suggested setting:
Imagine a Cathedral. It is night. The Cathedral is full. At
the front is a full choir with a small orchestra (including a kettle drum).
There are two standing microphones - one on the left in front of the choir, the
other on the right in front of the choir.
The lights in the Cathedral fade until there is complete
darkness and silence (the despair of unresolved theodicy).
Suddenly the organ sounds a dischord (g augmented against F
minor). four times - going from loud to soft - there is silence (the pain
unsolved theodicy flowing into the silence of despair because there is no
answer).
Next the problem of theodicy is expressed in music.
The darkness is broken by a single spotlight that gradually
gets stronger. The spotlight is focused on a singer standing in front of the left microphone. The
singer sings The Lamb – gently:
Little lamb who made
thee?
Dost thou know who
made thee?
Gave thee such a
tender voice
Making all the vales
rejoice.
The spotlight fades.
The darkness is broken by a second spotlight that gradually
gets stronger. It is focused on a singer standing in front of the right
microphone. The singer sings The Tiger – low voice:
Tyger, tyger burning
bright
In the forest of the
night.
Did he smile his work
to see?
Did he who made the
lamb make thee?
The spotlight fades.
Darkness.
A third spotlight lights up. As a kettle drum begins to roll the spotlight gets
stronger. It is focused high above the altar - on the Cross. The resolution
music starts building up to a crescendo. The choir sings:
(Slow majestic march tempo)
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Sing for the night is
o’er
Hosanna in the
highest,
Hosanna for ever more!
Hosanna in the
highest,
Hosanna for ever more!
A hope of the Christian is that the problem of theodicy will
be resolved when Christ returns – at the Return of the Lamb.
Here is a video of the music. Very amateurish!
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For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Cor. 13:12
Please feel free to use this music and
setting.
I realize the music needs fixing up!
My hope is that a fixed up professional
version will be sung in St James’s Church. Piccadilly. London, where William
Blake was baptized.
Thank you.
John Bartels
Port Elizabeth
South Africa
July 2012
Note: In June 2012, I was advised that the music for the Holy City was in the public domain. Advised by “The Performing Rights Limited” in London Tel: 0208 378 7500
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