SATB, unaccompanied

NOTE FROM THE COMPOSER

Each of these three motets represents the “metaphysical” style of writing poetry, and each by a different poet. George Herbert (1593-1633) wrote “The Collar.” Henry Vaughan (1621-1695) wrote “I Saw Eternity The Other Night.” And John Donne (1572-1631), wrote “At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners.” The word ‘meta’ means ‘after,’ so the literal definition of ‘metaphysical’ is ‘after the physical.” (Basically, questions that cannot be explained by science.). Each of these poems is highly intellectual, paradoxical, often bold expression, and a “surprise” ending.