La Rosa: Flor de Amor

For a capella SSAATTBB choir

I wrote "La Rosa: Flor de Amor" in January of 2006 while I was studying in Mexico. I had the opportunity to take an interterm class that would spend two and a half weeks studying the language and culture of south central Mexico, so I jumped on it (I almost completed a Spanish minor in college). While I was down there I got to push my comprehension of the language, which motivated me to try my hand at a Spanish/English poem. On the flight home, I started to put notes to that poem.

The result is song for a capella SSAATTB choir. It was at this point in my life that I was really digging into Eric Whitacre's music, and I got much inspiration for this piece from his earlier choral works.

Text

A flower with no petals knows no joy,
Just as without the sun it won't deploy.
And so I sing of your love.
Darkness comes; your eyes are my light.
My love sings midnight with its starlight beaming,
Roses grow where her tears may fall.

My light, my soul
Garden of my desire,
No longer you,
No longer me
Now we are one.

La rosa conocida hermosa
Todo el mundo canta de su gloria,
Y así canto de tu amor.
Mi bella canta el sol con su sonrisa
Y grita el mar en sus lagrimas.

Mi luz, mi alma,
Jardín de mi deseo,
Ya no hay tu,
Ni hay yo
Solo nosotros.

Te quiero mi amor, with all my being
My heart is yours, para lo que quieras
Belleza por todos lados,
pero amor solo en tí.