Music on Bahá'í themes
BAHA'U'LLAH
Bahá'u'lláh (pronounced ba-haw-o-law) is the Manifestation of God for this day. He spoke the Voice of the Holy Spirit, a new Revelation from God, and for this He endured torture, imprisonment and exile. In His Writings He laid out teachings, laws and principles for a new millennium, the transformation of spiritual life on the planet and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. He taught that there is one God, Who has guided mankind over time through the teachings of the Founders of the great religions of the world. He taught that mankind is one family, that prejudices must be abandoned and science and religion, in truth are in harmony and must work together for the betterment of the world. He taught of the equality of men and women and that the purpose of life was to develop virtues through prayer and service to humanity.
Bahá'u'lláh was born in 1817 in Persia, now known as Írán. His early life was one of ease and comfort, as he was the son of a minister in the court of the Shah. However, he disdained courtly life and was known for His concern for the poor. When He learned of the advent of the Báb, He became a champion in the Báb's Cause. His advocacy, however, led Him to intense suffering. He experienced the first intimations of His own Manifestation in 1853 while he was a prisoner in the Siyah Chal, the "Black Pit" of Tehran. Upon His release, He was exiled to Baghdád, where He declared, on April 21, 1863, that He was the Promised One heralded by the Báb. Subsequently, He was exiled to Constantinople (now Istanbul) and Adrianople in Turkey. Eventually he was brought to the prison city of Akká, in Palestine.
The Word of God flowed in a constant stream from the lips of Bahá'u'lláh. I have taken passages of these prolific Writings and attempted to set them to music. Any errors or inadequacies in the songs are my own.
Songs on this site that use text from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh are as follows:
- Songs of Seven Valleys:
This is a compendium of songs that set text from The Seven Valleys in a variety of voices - solo, duet, SATB. In order the songs are:
- Prologue
- He Hath Most Excellent Names (a tribute to the prophet Muhammad),
- The Stages of the Journey,
- The Valley of Search,
- Labor Is Needed,
- And If By The Help of God,
- If There Be No Pain,
- The Camphor Fountain (The Valley of Love),
- Blessed The Neck,
- The Valley of Knowledge,
- The Valley of Unity 1, All Songs Are From The King
- The Valley of Unity Part 2, Conflict Hath Prevailed
- Behold A Thousand Claws Of Envy,
- The Valley of Unity Part 3, His Being Is His Evidence
- The Valley of Contentment,
- The Valley of Wonderment,
- The Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness.
The songs run about 54 minutes in total. Note: The text is drawn from the old translation of the Seven Valleys. I tried to amend the songs to fit the new translation, but it would have taken a complete rewrite of many sections to do this.
I really hope that someone will produce and record this work.
- FOUNDATIONS II: Songs of a Stern Yet Loving Lord
Another compendium of songs, mostly Hidden Words, that speak to the need to regulate the "Insistent Self". 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains that the sole crusade of Bahá'ís is against the insistent self. In The Hidden words there are many direct warnings to avoid self and passion. It is intended that our Bahá'í youth may benefit from this music, and that they may be educated about "the promise and the threat" by Bahá'u'lláh Himself. The songs are:
- O CHILDREN OF FANCY!
- Walk Ye In The Fear Of God
- His Long Forbearance
- Bring Thyself To Account Each Day
- It Is Clear and Evident
- Prefer Not Your Will To Mine
- O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
- O BEFRIENDED STRANGER!
- O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
- Miscellaneous Songs:
- Prayer for the Fast: In this song, the phrase "Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the Robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come" is found thirteen times. I have set the phrase to music using the different 'Gregorian' modes, the first six to be sung twice, and the last to be sung once during the recitation of the prayer. I have put two settings on the website, one for male and one for female voices.
- Soon Will The Present Day Order Be Rolled Up: set for SATB advanced choir.
- HIDDEN WORD # 71, SSAA
- HIDDEN WORD # 71, TTBB
- HIDDEN WORD # 51, SATB
- HULIN ORD #51, in Icelandic
- Song Of The Most Great Ocean SATB (from the Lawh-i-Aqdas)
- Ye Are Even As The Bird, SATB
- Song Of The True Seeker (solo)
- Song Of The True Seeker (Alto Bass duet)
- That Which The Lord Hath Ordained (unison)
- Consider These Nightingales (unison, SATB chorus)
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