Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God
Corb H. Felgenhour
About this work:
BATTER MY HEART, THREE PERSON'D GOD (2000)
double Brass Septet, Percussion, and Choir SATB
6 min.
Text: John Donne, Sonnet XIV
Text:
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like a usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit You, but O, to no end;
Reason, Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be fain,
But am bethrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:06:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: double Brass Septet, Percussion, and Choir SATB