This song, composed for my grandchildren the Christmas of 2017, is a musical reflection on this passage from the prophet Isaiah.
The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
they will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee. (Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10, NAB)
I fashioned this song after the dance form known as a Mazurka. The Mazurka is a joyful dance in 3/4 meter popularized by the Polish composer, Frederick Chopin. What is different about this Mazurka is that is in 5/4 meter.
