Tributo al Coro dell’Armata Rossa : Tribute to the Red Army Choir

Tributo al Coro dell’Armata Rossa : Tribute to the Red Army Choir

In light of the wars that are bleeding the world today, some might consider this publication inappropriate. But my intention is not political: it is an act of gratitude towards Artists who gave beauty and who, on Christmas Day 2016, met their death in a tragic plane crash.

A few weeks earlier I had the good fortune to listen to them in Florence, in a concert that ended with a piece performed a cappella. Those voices, without an orchestra, seemed to me a true prayer, and from that emotion was born the poem I now present here.

At the exit, however, something happened that I will never forget. While the audience was waiting for them at the main entrance, a friend and I met them at the back of the Teatro del Maggio. They were in solemn silence. We greeted them with a smile and a “Well done, boys!”. Someone turned, returned that smile, and nodded. No words. Only an image I carry in my heart: the respectful silence of the Choir, a smile returned, and the awareness that Art knows how to speak even without words.

Music, Song, and Dance unite and do not divide. As Robert Schumann (1810–1856) stated about Music: “merely by speaking of it, we become brothers.”

May they rest in peace.

Prayer

In our life we shall seek You,
we shall walk along our path,
we shall go astray, we shall lose ourselves,
but always around us, we shall observe,
with our heads held high we shall walk.
Our search we shall continue,
with our faith we shall not give up,
and if one day we should let You slip away,
take us, Father, with Your Love.

In You we trust, Only Sun,
You have a Heart of Divine Golden Light.
Guide of the vast, immense journey,
deny us not the help we request,
we repent of being human,
we implore You, grant us forgiveness,
for the sake of Your Son, the Redeemer,
the Only True King and Savior.

We pray and beseech You, listen,
You who are the Most High Lord,
to the humble plea for help.
As men, repentant sinners,
we can offer You this prayer,
made with a heart filled with love.

Illuminate the stars, inlaid
in the Universe and on the Way that
leads us, may Your Light shine.
Once at the end of our journey,
and having passed the last pillars,
we shall find ourselves before Your
presence. With Your Guidance, we
shall be the victors, followers
of the True, Only, Sole Master.

Our search we shall continue,
with our faith we shall not give up,
and if one day we should let You slip away,
take us, Father, with Your Love.

Florence, 13/1/2017, 12:15 p.m.

Text adapted and freely inspired by a piece of the Red Army Choir in concert in Florence on 7/11/2016. Revised and expanded on 2/1/2019, 11:37 a.m.

Images from the web and video by Maurizio De Cicco.
To listen to the piece, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdSS1p4rOp8

🇬🇧 Inglese

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