Category: Choir / Vocal , Organ / Sacred Music
"Water" is one of the most commonly used words in the Bible and is a synonym for "life". Already in the Old Testament one finds an intuitive assignment of the meaning of "holy water" to the Holy Spirit, that fluid which the Indians call "Great Spirit", Chinese spirituality "Chi" and the natural sciences "ether" or "quantum field".
The present choral work combines the significant and enigmatic utterances from "Revelation" with the mention of water in the creation myth of Genesis. The authors of that time had no technical terms to conceptualize the primordial state of matter as "vacuum", "plasma" or "quantum field" and used the term "water" for this. From the point of view of the latest physics, a phrase such as "The Spirit of God hovered over the water" can thus be seen as an extremely coherent description of the beginning of the world: matter is born of spirit and vacuum!
Duration: 5 Minutes
Publisher of notes/sheet music: Edition Strube München , ED 4182 , 2020
Instrumentation: Chor a cappella S S A A T B
Text/Lyrics by: Texte der traditionellen englischen Bibel, zusammengestellt von Enjott Schneider
Introduction: COMPOSER’S PREFACE
"Water" is one of the most commonly used words in the Bible and is a synonym for "life". Already in the Old Testament one finds an intuitive assignment of the meaning of "holy water" to the Holy Spirit, that fluid which the Indians call "Great Spirit", Chinese spirituality "Chi" and the natural sciences "ether" or "quantum field".
Every living being needs water. The earth's surface consists of about 70% water, mostly salt water. Only a small percentage of about 3% is fresh drinking water, 69% of which is currently frozen in polar caps or glaciers. Thus, the amount of drinkable water to which living beings have access is only 0.03% of the total amount.
Water is a feminine form of energy and in all cultures it is highly connected with the nature of the goddess. It is used for washing, healing and symbolic purification. In all religions it is considered sacred: Where there is water, there is life.
The present choral work combines the significant and enigmatic utterances from "Revelation" (as the final part of Holy Scripture) with the mention of water in the creation myth of Genesis. The authors of that time had no technical terms to conceptualize the primordial state of matter as "vacuum", "plasma" or "quantum field" and used the term "water" for this. From the point of view of the latest physics, a phrase such as "The Spirit of God hovered over the water" can thus be seen as an extremely coherent description of the beginning of the world: matter is born of spirit and vacuum!
Additional remarks: Text:
Mayim chaim – the water of life.
In the beginning… the earth was formless and void. Darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God, was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:1-2)
Mayim chaim – the water of life.
…I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6)
Mayim chaim – the water of life.
Let the one who is thirsty come; and whoever whishes let him take the free gift from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17)
Mayim chaim – the water of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb “ (Revelation 22:1)
Mayim chaim, Mayim chaim.
World premiere: 06.05.2022, Köln Antoniterkirche
Performers at world premiere: 6. Mai 2022 in Köln Antoniterkirche mit dem Kammerchor CONSTANT, Leitung: Judith Mohr;
im Rahmen der „LANGEN ORGELNACHT ENJOTT SCHNEIDER“
