Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging

Program Notes:

A traditional German carol dating back to the nineteenth century and possibly even earlier, Mary Walks Amid the Thorns is haunting both for its beautiful melody and the dark theme of Mary carrying her baby amid roses and thorns.

Conductor Notes:

I’m a big fan of Gunnar Eriksson because of his ability to create music that is not restricted by the page. There is something transformative and empowering about the way he creates. This arrangement is no exception in the way it sounds in the air, but I have to caution that it is very difficult to read this one-page score with its many options of which voices should sing together in each of four suggested times through the tune. I was daunted for myself to keep my mind clear in the roadmap, and I knew my singers would struggle as well. So I made four photocopies of my score (one for each verse), used highlighters to show who should sing which lines, and strung them together as a 4-page piece of music. That did the trick. Also, I divided the choir in 3 equal parts, which I call Top, Middle, and Bottom. As this is a piece in which each of those parts divide, I had to really organize my thoughts around exactly who was singing what. I imagine Carus does not sell a lot of copies of this score, as it doesn’t really “look like anything” although it has many possibilities for beautiful and unique textures by each ensemble that performs it. As much as I appreciate being given the freedom to create my own version, I wish Carus and Erikkson had spelled things out a little better and used more paper for the master score.

Text:

Maria durch ein Dornwald ging,
Kyrie eleison.
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging,
der hat in sieben Jahrn kein Laub getragen.
Jesus und Maria.

Was trug Maria unter ihrem Herzen?
Kyrie eleison.
Ein kleines Kindlein ohne Schmerzen,
das trug Maria unter ihrem Herzen.
Jesus und Maria.

Da haben die Dornen Rosen getragen,
Kyrie eleison.
Als das Kindlein durch den Wald getragen,
da haben die Dornen Rosen getragen.
Jesus und Maria.

Translation:

Mary wandered through a wood of thorns
Lord, have mercy.
Mary wandered through a wood of thorns,
Which was leafless for seven years.
Jesus and Mary.

Who did Mary bear beneath her bosom?
Lord, have mercy.
A little babe without pain,
Whom Mary bore beneath her bosom.
Jesus and Mary.

The thorns had roses there,
Lord, have mercy.
As the babe was carried through the woods,
There were roses with thorns on them.
Jesus and Mary.