The Song of Ruth

A setting of the most famous passage from the Book of Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17) opens with a gentle polyphonic section for the chorus. The soprano joins the choir for the twice-repeated middle section of the piece. The music here is contrastingly homophonic and intense. ('Where you die, I will die and be buried.')

 

The Song of Ruth closes with a recapitulation of the music from the opening, but with new words assigned to it, and with the soprano soloist providing a descant for it. Appropriate for Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks) and Pentecost. Duration: ca. 4:00