The variations for Wondrous Love were
written for a concert featuring early American sacred music. The conductor
asked for five minutes of music. By the time the project was finished, however,
the duration stretched to 13:10. He was gracious enough to program the
entire composition. Since the vocalists had only a short time to learn it
all, a string quartet was used to double the lines in many of the variations.
Movements one and two both make use of mirrors. The mirror for Wonder is
left partially open until the very end of the work (xxvi.), where it is
closed following the coda (xxiv.- xxv.) The center of the mirror in
movement one is section vi. The center in movement two is section xiv.
The final movement, Eternity, pushes forward to the
end.
I. Wonder
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
0:00
0:21
0:43
1:06
1:25
1:53
2:45
3:12
3:30
3:54
II. Sinking
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
xv.
xvi.
xvii.
4:26
5:11
5:44
6:03
6:42
7:16
7:46
III. Eternity
xviii.
xix.
xx.
xxi.
xxii.
xxiii.
xxiv.
xxv.
xxvi.
8:26
9:34
9:46
10:09
10:30
10:53
11:47
12:14
12:44
Total Duration: 13:10
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of Bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!
When I was sinking down,
sinking down.
When I was sinking down
Beneath God's righteous frown
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing
To God and to the Lamb
Who is the great "I Am"
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
And when from
death, I'm free, I'll sing in
And when from death, I'm free,
I will sing and joyful be
And through eternity, I'll sing on.
Recorded: First English Lutheran Church, (Lawrence University,
Conservatory of Music), Appleton, Wisconsin, 2002. Written for and performed by
David Erb and the Collegium Musicum, Stephen Butts, Recording Engineer.
