The Book of Never Score by DOTDOTDOTMUSIC

http://www.aaronhelgeson.com

music and lyrics by Aaron Helgeson

adapted from the Novgorod Codex

combined with words by Oscar Wilde, Pablo Neruda, Angela Davis, The Rolling Stones, Andre Singer, Gertrude Stein, and Thanhha Lai

commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University

with generous support from the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition at the University of Chicago

Passions of other people

(The world’s a town)

Burns I’d like to forget

(The world’s a town)

Tears I’ve never wept

(The world’s a town) .

Names of things I once believed

1 min

6 min

3 min

7 min

Total Duration: 35 min

Titles should appear as follows, with liberty for house style, when shown together in typeset media:

The Book of Never

Passions of other people…

(The world’s a town)

Burns I’d like to forget… (The world’s a town)

Tears I’ve never wept… (The world’s a town)

Names of things I once believed…

ABOUT

The Book of Never lasts just more than a half of an hour. But it took one thousand years to make.

It began with the Novgorod Codex — a wooden book of psalms from 999 A.D. believed to be owned by Isaakiy, a formerly Pagan priest baptized in (now Ukrainian) Kiev and sent to the village of Novgorod to convert the town to Christianity. However, when word of Issakiy’s use of Pagan ceremony and liturgy in his worship reached the church elite, Issakiy and the entire village of Novgorod were excommunicated for heresy. Through destruction of sacred icons, texts, and any associated writing tools, such excommunication would have almost certainly meant a complete erasure of any written records of the village, its language, and its religion.

And so, Isaakiy set out to retain what was left of his dualistic liturgy, his dialect, and the collective memory of Novgorod. Using his wooden book as a writing tablet, he poured layers and layers of wax over the psalms carved into its pages, marking each layer with text, and making multiple paper rubbings of the words he was attempting to preserve — his dualistic prayers, numerous instances of the Rus’ alphabet, sarcastic and scathing commentary on his banishment, even visions of the apocalypse. Issakiy’s paper rubbings are lost to the decay of time, but scratches on the surface of the wood itself remain, made when the wax layers were pierced while making the apocryphal texts.

There they stayed, out of sight, until they were discovered in 2000 A.D. (exactly one millennium later) among the ancient remnants of Novgorod, perfectly preserved in mud, with thousands of tiny glyphs scratched into a mass of hardened and broken wax. The codex was quickly taken to the world’s foremost Slavonic linguist, Andrei Zaliznyak, who meticulously parsed through the overlapped writing to find letters, then words, then phrases.

The writings from the Novgorod Codex used in The Book of Never include iterations of phrases like “and you bow down to Beelzebub with your tongue” in an entry titled The Law of Moses; dozens of semantic variations of the statement “I am the truth and the law and the prophecy” in The Law of Jesus Christ; or a satirical list of platitudes from the Spiritual Instruction from the Father and Mother to the Son in the form of “the world is a town in which are excluded from the church” where the blank is repeatedly filled in by descriptions of Issakiy’s congregation in Novgorod…to name only a few. The resulting text created by Isaakiy is somewhere between liturgy, the chanting of a vindictive spell, a recitation of sins, and a grammar lesson.

To put all this in a more contemporary context, The Book of Never combines text fragments from my own English translations of the Novgorod Codex with individual words and phrases by twentieth century writers in various states of exile.

“Passions of other people…” combines words from English versions of Psalm 77 (one of the three psalms originally carved into the wood of the Novgorod Codex) with words from Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis, a bitter 100-page letter to his former lover Lord Alfred Douglas, written one page at a time in prison near the end of Wilde’s life. Prison guards would give a single blank page to Wilde, and when it was full he would exchange it for a new blank page. Upon leaving prison, Wilde gave the letter to his confidant Robert Ross who (before delivering the letter to Douglas) made copies and sent them to an American publisher for safe keeping.

“Burns I’d like to forget…” uses variations of phrases from throughout Pablo Neruda’s epic Canto General, a history in verse of the entire American Western Hemisphere written after Neruda fled Chile for danger of arrest after publicly decrying the concentration camps of communist workers in the north. These phrases are interrupted by a large block of text from the Law of Moses portion of the Novgorod Codex, with slight alterations at the end that eventually wind their way back to Neruda.

“Tears I’ve never wept…” sets the first half of a short unpublished poem called “Exercise” from the Three Litanies by Andre Singer, a Jewish composer and conductor who fled Europe during the Nazi occupation. These transition slowly to short phrases from the Novgorod Codex’s Prayer to the Archangel Gabriel, a figure who appears in multiple liturgical guises: the guardian angel of Israel in the Old Testament, one of the five angels of the apocalypse in intertestamental literature, and blower of the horn of resurrection in New Testament texts.

“Names of things I once believed…” contains phrases that begin as homophones of individual letters and grow into my own thoughts as I wrote the music, strung together from single words found in Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out and Back Again, a quasi-autobiographical young adult novel in the form of short poems about the young daughter of a Vietnamese refugee family living in Alabama, and her struggles with bullying while learning English. On top of these are variations of repeated phrases found in the Law of Jesus Christ portion of the Novgorod Codex.

The three interludes (all titled “The world’s a town”) draw their initial text from Zaliznyak’s rendering of the Novgorod Codex's Spiritual Instruction from the Father and Mother to the Son. The second interlude adds words from television interviews with philosopher and political activist Angela Davis, after she was found not guilty in 1972 of charges stemming from the use of a gun she had purchased in the Marin County Courthouse kidnappings, resulting in her release after two years in the segregated wing of the court’s Women’s Detention Facility. These words are interlaced with lyrics from The Rolling Stones’ song “Sweet Black Angel” written about Angela Davis’ arrest during the Stones’ period of self-exile in Paris while avoiding tax debts on their previous albums in England. The third interlude includes entire phrases from Gertrude Stein’s Descriptions of Literature, a prose poem with cryptic one-sentence descriptions of books in the library she shared with her romantic partner Alice B. Toklas, published in 1926 but written some time earlier during Stein’s years of expatriation in Europe.

The melodies and chords in The Book of Never were constructed solely from extremely brief fragments (only a few notes each) from the Stichera Alphabetica, a sequence of hymns sung in association with the psalms of the Novgorod Codex’s wooden tablets. The first letters of each hymn in the Stichera Alphabetica spell out the alphabet, echoing the alphabetic sequences found in the Novgorod Codex. These hymn fragments are layered on top of one another, juxtaposed, and harmonized with dense clusters built by simulating extremely long reverberations in digitally engineered virtual spaces.

Though it never actually appears in the text or music of The Book of Never, there are tones throughout of Cormac McCarthy's 2006 post-apocalyptic novel The Road. The book is referenced most transparently in the final movement, whose title is a variation on a phrase describing the nameless protagonist’s memory of what's been lost in the aftermath of McCarthy’s also nameless and ultimately unexplained end of the world:

“The world shrinking down about a raw core of parsable entities. The names of things slowly following those things into oblivion. Colors. The names of birds. Things to eat. Finally the name of things one believed to be true. More fragile than he would have thought. How much was gone already? The sacred idiom shorn of its referents and so of its reality. Drawing down like something trying to preserve heat. In time to wink out forever.”

The long story of The Book of Never has an uncanny epitaph. I began writing this music on December 24, 2017 during a particularly snowy and silent day in Chicago. That same day, halfway around the world in Ukraine, Andrei Zaliznyak died before he could complete his work transcribing the Novgorod Codex. It was a haunting synchronicity, one that I would only learn of two years later. I had hoped to contact Zaliznyak. To commune with him on the codex’s origin, it’s text, and its historical revelations. But maybe it’s best I didn’t. Best that I never fully knew what meaning I’d unearthed. That some secrets remain buried in the mud. To be discovered again. One thousand years from now.

O oh, I wait… oh… oh, will I wait? oh, why?

O Lord

…all hours …all my people all now all I want…

How I long… on my own now all now all now …on my own now… …and will to go now

oh, I’ll break now oh, why alone? oh, I’ll wait now. …oh on my own…

O Lord

…all… all gone… I will go my own… …on my own…

I will to go now

Go you know… I’m another… my people you go

I’ll go

…other people …another other people now… go on…

And I’ll pain to go my blood know my blood… …know my pain… …I’m not in pain now

O Lord, I want to say my silence

I’ll clean my hand …my fair flesh …and my eye my flesh is clean

O Lord

Remember?

I remember now… I know now… I know you… I’ll go now

I’ve no sympathy …all my suffering… …all my pain …my pleasure

All alone, I will go we suffer still …I feel still I sit still we can be greater still

And I know all my life… oh, I’m lost oh, I am gone all through my years…

I know

…all my hidden life… I’m lost in me I will need… …my love…

I know that I’m lost

…I wept I will not break …all my sorrow now …you will stay

I know I am gone I will go I’ll stay I’ll remain

know

I know now

I cry out from nowhere but I’m still here I’m not here I’ll be here I’m here

I cry out for days and years of forever…

…for those of whom we only know nothing…

…for those whose pain pours out of the skies…

…like darkness in the cold of silence…

I’m new

I’ll be gone

I’m all of me now

I’ll love you

You led them…

I’ll be you

I’ll be you…

I’m whole

I’ll make you whole

…you led them by the hand…

I’ll be near you…

…now

I’m you…

Whole now…

…but you wouldn’t lead me…

…now

…now …now

…now

…wouldn’t walk with me…

I am not me I am not myself

…now

…not now…

…through the darkness…

O…

O… O…

…through the cold…

…through the skies…

…through the silence…

O Lord

II. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )

The world’s a town in which we cannot live

The world’s a town

The world’s a town where people breathe

The world’s a town in which we’re never meant to live

The world’s a town

The world’s a town we leave

The world’s a town!

Cling to me

Cling to my self

Cling to me, my people who pray

Cling to the anguish of my pain

Cling to my body

Cling to those who enthrone me

Cling now

Cling to me

Cling to me, my people

Cling to the ones defenseless

Cling to my sadness

Cling to me

Cling now

Cling to me

Cling to me, my people who pray

Cling to the ones that have no water

Cling to my selfishness

Cling to my face

Cling to those who are weak

Cling to madness

Cling to me always

Cling to me and pray

Cling to me, my people who pray for pity

Cling to the ones that bury butterflies in the ground

Cling to the freedom of my anger

Cling to the side of me

Cling to those who are pitiful

Speak through my blood

Speak through the sacred

Speak through me now

Speak through all your silent souls

Speak through the imminent death

Speak through infinite night

Speak through my sweat and tears

Speak through the loud hurricane

II. BURNS I’D LIKE TO FORGET…

Speak through my name

Speak through the word

Speak through me

Speak through all your anger

Speak through the adopted

Speak through all time

Speak through hours and days

Speak through the whirlwind

Speak through my everything

Speak through the imminence

Speak through me, my son

Speak through all your amazement

Speak through the abyss in which you faltered

Speak through insatiable glory

Speak through my words and my blood

Speak through the pestilent diseases

Cling now

Cling to me

Cling to me, my people

Cling to the ones that hunger

Cling to my sorrow

Cling to me

Cling now

Cling to me

Cling to me, my prayerful people

Cling to the ones that climb unending

Cling to my bitterness

Cling to my hand

Cling to those who are blind

Speak through me

Speak through the blood

Speak now

Speak through your deeds

Speak through idols

Speak through me

Speak through my eyes

Speak through me now

Speak through my words

Speak through the skies

Speak through me

Speak through all your dead mouths

Speak through the seat of sin

Speak through all hours

Speak through teeth and nails

Speak through the locusts

Speak through my anger

Speak through the martyrdom

Speak through me, my child

Speak through all your innocent lives

Speak through the expanse on which you falter

Speak through oblivious silence

Speak through my head and my heart

Speak through water that is turned to blood

Speak through my non-existence

Speak through the unrelenting

Speak through me, my people

Speak through all your timeless buried sorrows

Speak through the stone on which you fell

Speak through intolerable sadness

Speak through my arms and my shoulders

Speak through the everlasting desert sand

Tell me now

Tell me my number

Tell me my name

Tell me all the absolute falsehoods

Tell me if his unyielding light is fading

Tell me her secret burdens

Tell me I’m forgotten

Tell me how I turned the other way

Tell me

Tell me all their lies

Tell me if he’s ever alive

Tell me her envy

Tell me I’ll die

Tell me how I live

Shouting

Shouting now

Shouting at me

Shouting

Shouting always

Shouting my name

Shouting ’til I drown

Shouting with celibate abandon

Shouting at me because I’m tired

Shouting at my baby boy

Shouting at the wall

Shouting from everywhere

Tell me now

Tell me my home

Tell me every other end

Tell me if he forgot his lies

Tell me her vanity

Tell me I’m a fool

Tell me how I kill a crowd

Tell me

Tell me now

Tell me all of it

Tell me if he’s away

Tell me her bounty

Tell me I’m free

Tell me how I’m wrong

Tell me always

Tell me my army

Tell me my country

Tell me insignificant lies to my face

Tell me if he abides a long and happy existence

Tell me her sleepless dreams and visions

Tell me I will always suffer

Tell me how I gather my villages

Shouting at me

Shouting my name

Shouting always

Shouting in abysmal tones

Shouting at me and everyone

Shouting at my daughter

Shouting at me

Shouting from here

Shouting always

Shouting the call

Shouting until now

Shouting in a way that’s immortal

Shouting at me because I’m poor

Shouting at my angry son

Shouting at the door

Shouting from my ascent

Tell me now

Tell me my crown

Tell me the only impure

Tell me if he’s upon my neck

Tell me her every thought

Tell me I can go

Tell me how I overcome

Tell me my fate

Tell me my presence

Tell me my office

Tell me unquestionable superstitions

Tell me if his arrival looms inside of another

Tell me her almost instant pleasure

Tell me I’ll be always with you

Tell me how I break the immobile gods

Shouting all the echoes

Shouting the woman’s name

Shouting until it burns

Shouting in a panicked and horrible aside

Shouting at me because I’m not obeying angels

Shouting at my elders and my descendants

Shouting at the barren land

Shouting from my elegant window

Shouting to me

Shouting the words

Shouting never

Shouting in my wounded ear

Shouting at my intolerance

Shouting at my brother

Shouting at me

Shouting all ways

Shouting all the lies

Shouting the dead man’s name

Shouting until you die

Shouting an always inverted sigh

Shouting at me because I haven’t told my name

Shouting at my mother and father

Shouting at the buildings

Shouting from the edifice

Chain my neck

Chain me

Chain the dead

Chain the young and healthy

Chain me for my guilt and shame

Chains of rope and cain

Chain me to the dark

Chain me to rock and sand

Chain my aching wrists

Chain me to myself

Chain the indigent

Chain the people waving their flags above

Chain me for my blessings and my arrogance

Chains of human promulgation

Chain me to the everlasting

Chain me to earth and to black volcanoes

Chain me

Chain them

Chain their enemies

Chain me for my soul

Chains of snakes

Chain me to all

Chain me to carrion

And you bow down

Chain my shoulders

Chain me

Chain the poor

Chain the people battling

Chain me for my peace and pleasure

Chains of molten fire

Chain me to the ocean

Chain me to leafless trees

Chain me

Chain them

Chain the ignorant

Chain me for my pain

Chains of snow

Chain me to death

Chain me to dirt and grass

And you bow down

Chain

Chain—

Chain them

Chain the old

Chain me—

Chain my soul

And you bow down

And you bow down to heaven with your tongue

And you bow down to God with your tongue

And you bow down to animals with your tongue

And the Lord commanded you to divide the sheep

And you parted the sheep

And you parted the others

And the people they drank the others

And the sheep of the sheep they drank

And the children they drank

And the greedy ones they drank

And the slaves they drank

And the weapons

(And...)

And the bows

And the arrows

And the trumpets, and the flags...

(And...)

...you put them in the shrine and kept them.

And the nations are wandering in the field

(And for the poor...)

And together the nations they drink a long and slowful drink

Not laying down their arms

(And for the poor...no drink)

(And for the poor...)

Even though they're thirsty for drink.

(And for the poor...crumbs)

(And for the poor...filth)

(And for the poor...prison)

(And for the poor...sweat)

(And for the poor...vermin)

(And for the poor...nothing)

(…nothing)

IV. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )

You ask me if the fires are burning down my land

(The world's a town)

You ask me how I sleep at night

(The world's a town in which we'll never breathe)

You ask me if my brothers falling one by one has broken me

(The world's a town we learn)

You ask me whether I approve of hate

(The world's a town where people cannot pay their way)

You ask me if the crimes I've made are pure

(The world's a town we leave)

You ask me if the judge they murdered could have known

(The world's a town)

You ask me if the judge that they then stole will chain me in a cage

(The world's a town in which my petty anger lives)

You ask me if the world makes any sense at all

(The world's a town we'll burn)

The world's a town!

V. TEARS I’VE NEVER WEPT…

Blue sky is gray and love and love

Gray hair is white and love and torment

White sail is yellow and torment and fear

Yellow sun is red and fear and quiet

Red blood is blue and quiet and sleep

Blue grass is green and sleep and let go

Green forest is purple and let go and give

Purple shadows are black and forgive and understand

VI. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )

A book invented for the sake of itself

(The world’s a town)

A book describing six and six and seventy-two

(The world’s a town)

A book which shows the next and best is to be found out when there is pleasure in the reason

(The world’s a town)

A book of dates and fears

(The world’s a town)

A book with more respect for all who have to hear and have heard it

(The world’s a town)

A book that is narrowly placed upon the shelf

(The world’s a town)

A book which has made all who read it think of the hope they have that sometime they will have fairly nearly all of it at once

(The world’s a town)

A book which manages to impress upon the young that those who oppose them follow them

(The world’s a town)

A book that makes the end come just as soon as it is intended

(The world’s a town)

A book which asks questions of everyone

VII. NAMES OF THINGS I ONCE BELIEVED…

All Always

I am the book of silence

I am the mystery

All

Any

I am a perfect way of telling lies

I'm the single door of infinity

All Over all

All along

I am the people and I am almost wholly saved

Oh Only

I am not the prophet

I am the unsaid flattery and I'm the broken

Any

Over Only

Always Knowing

I am the dream and the waking night and the allencompassing fire of perdition

I'm the unaltered and the unwavering strength

I am the independent words and I'm the gratifying majesty of kindness

I am the darkened soul

I am worthy

I am heavy with the weight of all my prayers and all my righteousness

Why Waiting End

Ever

All Along

I am a thing and I am nothing

I'm still there

I'm afraid

I'm the life and the song and the world's embrace unending

And I'm trying And I am practicing to be seen

I'm seen

I am the deliverer of judgement and an unearthly vision and I am loved

I'm here

I'm the ancient and the ever-present now and I am all my pain

I am the people

I am an unwanted piece of rubble and I matter I'm now

I am the story and the purpose I am the slave and the broken I'm the chosen name and the one you ask when you are doubting I am me before I knew I am myself

I'm myself

Oh God, I don’t know them, I don't know their pain, I don't see them, I just walk on by like I'd walk up a road to heaven. Oh my God, what have I done?

O Lord

I don't want to love myself, but I will try and see...

O dear Lord ...now.

for Beth words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex and Oscar Wilde's "De Profundis"

Solo Voices*

Sopranos

I'm mf sost. not here.

I'll mf sost. be here. I'm mf sost. here.

I'm mf sost.

I'll mf sost.

I'm mf sost.

I'll mf sost.

ness, - through the cold,

& & & &

through the skies, through the si lence. -

through the skies, through the si lence.through the skies, through the si lence.through the skies, through the si lence.through the skies, through the

through the

through

Sopranos I & II

Altos I & II

Tenors

Baritone

Bass

The f world's a town where peo ple - breathe.

f world's a town where peo ple - breathe.

Biting, Pointed, Forward, Heavily Enunciated (q = 126)

for Papa and Grandpa words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex and Pablo Neruda's "Canto General"

Sopranos I & II

Altos I & II

Tenors I

Baritone

Bass

the

Speak through the skies. Speak through the mar -

Speak through me. Speak through me,

Speak through all your dead mouths. Speak through all your

Speak through the seat of sin. Speak through the ex panseSpeak through all hours.

And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down.

And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down. Chain f them. And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down.

And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow sf down mf sub. to hea ven - with your tongue. q q q = q q q (h = 92) Powerful, Unyielding E

And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow sf down to hea ven - with your tongue.

And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow sf down to hea ven - with your tongue. And f sub. you bow down. And f

And f

you bow down. And f

you bow

you bow down. And f

you bow

with your tongue. And f sub. you bow down. And f sub. you bow

And sf you bow down. And sf you bow sf down to hea ven - with your tongue.

And sf you bow down. And sf you bow sf down

- with your tongue. And sf you bow down. And

you bow

with your tongue.

And sf you bow down. And

you bow

down to hea

- with your tongue. And sf you bow down. And sf you bow

down to hea ven - with your tongue. And sf you bow down. And

you bow

with your tongue.

Bow sf down to God with your tongue. You bow sf down to a

ni - mals - with your tongue. And you

Bow sf down to God with your tongue. You bow sf down to a

ni - mals - with your tongue. And you

Bow sf down to God with your tongue. You bow

bow sf down to a sf ni - mals - with your tongue. And sf the Lord com man

- ded - you to di vide - the sheep. You

Lord com man - ded - you to di vide - the sheep. And you par

ted - the sheep. mf And mf sost. you

Lord com man - ded - you to di vide - the sheep. And you par sf ted - the sheep. mf And you

Lord

And you

par ted - the o thers. - And the peo ple - they drank the o thers. - And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the

par ted - the o thers. - And the peo ple - they drank the o thers. - And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the par ted - the o thers. - And the peo ple - they drank the o thers. - And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the

sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil f sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the

sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil f sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil f sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the

sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil f sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the

sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil f sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil

sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the

sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil

sub. dren - they drank. And f sost. the gree dy - ones they drank. And the sheep of the sheep they drank. And the chil

sub. dren - they drank. And f sost.

slaves they drank. And...

slaves they drank. And f sost. the wea pons, - and... mp

slaves they drank. And f sost. the wea pons,

slaves they drank. And

the

and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... ...and... mp and the bows, and the ar rows, - and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... and the bows, and the ar rows, - and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... and the bows, and the ar rows, - and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags... and the bows, and the ar rows, - and f sost. the trum pets - and the flags...

words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex, interview footage of Angela Davis, and the Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street"

Sopranos

ask me how I sleep at night.

ask me how I sleep at night. The world's a town in which we'll ne verThe

You

You ask me whe ther - I ap prove - of hate.

You

You ask me if the crimes I've made are pure.

You ask me if the judge they mur dered - could have known.

You ask me if the judge that they then stole will chain me in a cage.

You ask me if the world makes

You ask me if the world makes town

for George, and Hester words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex and Andre Singer's "Three Litanies"

cresc.

and tor mentand fear and poco dim. sleep and sleep and let let go and give and give - der stand - and for

and p let go and give and un p der - stand - and for - give

I & II Altos I & II

& Bass

words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex and Gertrude Stein's "Descriptions of Literature"

Sopranos

Baritone

book which shows the next and best is to be found out when there is plea sure - in the rea son -

book which shows the next and best is to be found out when there is plea sure - in the rea

spect for all who have to hear and have heard it. A book that is nar -

all who read it think of the hope they have that some time - they will have fair ly - near ly -

all who read it think of the hope they have that some time - they will have fair ly - near

u pon - the young that those who op pose - them fol low - them.

in ten - ded. - A (non dim.)

book which asks que stions - of eve ry - one. -

in ten - ded. - A (non dim.)

book which asks que stions - of eve ry - one. -

in ten - ded. - A (non dim.)

book which asks que stions - of eve ry - one. -

The world's a town. (non dim.)

The world's a town.

The world's a town. (non dim.)

The world's a town. The world's a town. (non dim.) The world's a town. The world's a town. (non dim.)

world's a town.

Echoing, rolling, overflowing (

words by Aaron Helgeson adapted from the Novgorod Codex and Thanhha Lai's "Inside Out and Back Again" for Ivy

Sopranos I & II

Altos I & II

Tenors I

Baritone

Bass

Unmeasured, but still strictly in time*

all en com - pas - sing - fire of per di - tion. - I'm the un al - tered - and the un wa - ver - ing - strength.

Accidentals apply consistently until rests.

Urgent, direct, plain, almost shouting, each word an entire universe living and dying in a single moment... (Slow, broad, freely out of time, and gradually getting faster)

I f

don't know them, I don't know their pain,

http://www.aaronhelgeson.com