Wheel of the Year (Leanne Daharja Veitch)
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CPDL #14953:
- Editor: Leanne Daharja Veitch (submitted 2007-09-11). Score information: A4, 43 pages, 1.72 MB Copyright: Other
- Edition Notes:
General Information
Title: Wheel of the Year
Composer: Leanne Daharja Veitch
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Pagan
Language: English
Instruments: for Choir, Soloists, Two Flutes, ‘Cello, Piano, Hand Drum, and Singing Bowl in C.
Published: 2004
Description: Written in 2004, "The Wheel Of The Year: A Pagan Song Cycle", was Leanne's first composition. It was premiered by RMIT Occasional Choral Society in 2004. The "Wheel" has since been performed by nearly a dozen choirs and small ensembles around the world (in Germany, Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia), and has enjoyed far more success than she would have expected! It continues to be performed regularly, especially within the worldwide Pagan community.
This piece celebrates the eight sacred days of the Pagan community, which are collectively known as the Wheel of the Year. All of the text and music is original and copyright to the composer, except where indicated.
- 1. Casting the Circle: 2 flutes, singing bowl in C
- 2. Samhain: SATB, cello, piano
- 3. Yule: S solo, SAB
- 4. Imbolc: S solo, SATTBB, cello
- 5. Ostara: S solo, SAAATBB, hand drum, cello
- 6. Beltane: SSA soli, SSAB, 2 flutes
- 7. Midsummer: S solo, SATB
- 8. Lammas: SSAB soli, SAB, cello
- 9. Mabon: 2 female, 2 male soli, unison choir, flute, cello
- 10. Closing the Circle: SATB soli, SATB, singing bowl (in C or E flat)
External websites: http://www.winikoff.net/music/leanne
Original text and translations
English text
- 1. Casting the Circle
- No Lyrics
- 2. Samhain
- Eucalyptus, rosemary,
- Burning brightly for remembrance:
- Burning bright for purity
- On this night when we remember...
- Once again, Shadow's Eve.
- Light the candle at the window.
- Set a light to guide them home
- Through the darkness of the night.
- Contemplate our visions,
- Dreaming of times long gone:
- Dreaming of our loved ones
- Who have passed across our lives...
- Eucalyptus, rosemary,
- Burning brightly for remembrance
- Burning bright for purity
- On this night when we recall.
- 3. Yule
- Cold snow,
- Icy the winds that blow
- Cold, blow, in the dark of night.
- Cold snow, icy the winds that blow
- Cold, blow in the dark of night.
- Icy cold wind blow, freezing winter snow
- Yuletide is come!
- Feel the icy breath, bitter cold of death
- Yuletide is come!
- Cold winter wind blowing icily.
- Coldest, longest of nights.
- Coldest, darkest of nights.
- Drifting snowflakes on the air, blowing icily.
- Twirling snowflakes on the air:
- Wintertime at Yule.
- 4. Imbolc
- No Lyrics
- 5. Ostara
- Ostara (repeated)
- All hail Ostara when all life is reborn
- Honouring new life on Ostara morn
- All hail Ostara as the sun rises in the morn
- from the freezing biting cold of winter
- all hail the day
- all hail the light
- Life rising
- Life growing
- Weaving life
- Rising, lighting, growing, all hail the light
- Ostara (repeated)
- Ostara!
- 6. Beltane
- Brightly the fires at Beltane burn
- Rise, as the dusklight is fading
- And we will dance, as we sing this song
- Sing to the Lord and the Lady.
- 7. Midsummer
- (Ding dong ding dong, midnight rising)
- (Ding dong ding dong, chimes are striking)
- Over hill, over dale, (Shadowy trees)
- Thorough bush, thorough brier, (Whispering winds)
- Over park, over pale, (Evening breeze)
- Thorough flood, thorough fire, (Call Fairies in)
- I do wander everywhere,
- Swifter than the moon's sphere;
- And I serve the fairy queen,
- To dew her orbs upon the green:
- The cow slips tall her pensioners be;
- In their gold coats spots you see;
- Those be rubies, fairy favours,
- In those freckles live their savours:
- I must go seek some dew drops here,
- And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.
- (We welcome summer in!)
- The above lyrics are from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream Act II, Scene I, with the exception of bracketed text (original work).
- 8. Lammas
- (Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,
- All that dies will be reborn.
- Corn and grain, corn and grain,
- All that falls will rise again.)
- Bring the crops in against the weather:
- Wheat and barley and hops and hay.
- Working, harvesting in together -
- Celebrating Lammas today.
- Night draws nearer, and wind blows colder:
- Wheat and barley and hops and hay.
- Gather in as the days grow shorter,
- Celebrating Lammas today.
- Cull the last of the Summer's bounty:
- Wheat and barley and hops and hay.
- Welcome in Autumn's golden beauty -
- Celebrating Lammas today.
- Bid farewell to the days of Summer:
- Wheat and barley and hops and hay.
- Calling in the cool rains of Winter,
- Celebrating Lammas today.
- (Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,
- All that dies will be reborn.
- Corn and grain, corn and grain,
- All that falls will rise again)
- All text and music original, apart from bracketed text and its associated chant (traditional).
- 9. Mabon
- Wind, fire, sea, stone
- Breath, flame, wave, bone
- Long light has lingered here, Earth still is warm,
- Deepening shadows lost by the dawn.
- Long darkness rising here, though heat lingers on,
- Twist of the Equinox - Mabon has come.
- Dead leaves fall silently, drift on the air,
- Trees standing, slumbering - dry, cracked and bare.
- Time passes quietly, echoing past:
- Earth calls the winter in. Mabon at last!
- Shadows through the mist I see:
- Time passing silently.
- Starlight, as the Spiral bends.
- Moonlight, as the daylight ends.
- 10. Closing
- By the Earth, by all fleshly beings
- By the Water, and all creatures that drink from her
- By the Fire, and the shining spirits of the Bright Ones
- By the Breath that gives all Life.
- By Earth, by Water, by Fire and by Air
- Bright Ones, depart in peace from this place.