Stella Lerner - To my mother
Music and lyrics : Stella Lerner
Alla Vasilevitsky, soprano
Ashdod Symphony Orchestra
Ziv Cojocaru, conductor
Hagai Yodan, piano
Ashdod Cultural Center, Oktober, 2014
Live recording: the Israeli Music Festival 2014
The song "To My Mother" is a unique human document, born in a moment of intense personal pain, out of a desire to return the breath of life to the dearest/most precious person of all – the composer's mother, who had lapsed into a coma at the time. The song was inspired by the composer's belief in the power of art to channel life back into her mother. During a period of one month, the song was repeatedly played to her beside her hospital bed. On the very day in which the composer decided to art words to it, she received news that her mother opened her eyes and awoke from her coma.
How marvelous are your contouours,
Alive before my eyes just now
You’re a sunset ray, a shaft of light
So warmly, still, caressing us.
I know you’ll return,
You shall not leave me now!
Beloved, precious, daring Mother,
Please hear me, I am calling now!
You shall return!
To sing this song,
So very much is still awaiting us...
Your breath is so warm and so near
You are the same, you’ve only slept too long
Without equal in the world, you are my darling,
D’you hear me, hear me?
I’m calling you!
I know, you will return
You shall not leave me now
Beloved, precious, darling Mother,
Please hear me, I’m calling You
I need you, I need you now
Come back to me, I beg you, help me now!
A benediction from above reveals to me
A heavy veil n’I... suddenly...
I see your open tender caring gaze
the quiet whisper on your loving lips.
I search again, a-new,
The slightest sign, the slightest sign of you,
And you and I, we know, know well,
That you shall sing, this song again
Translation/Adaptation - Ninah Beliavsky