God Is Seen, the third featured production in Our Voices, is a performance of Alice Parker’s God Is Seen in collaboration with Princess Grace Award recipient and choreographer Claudia Schreier. Featuring dancers Larissa Gerszke of Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Chalvar Monteiro of Alvin Ailey.
“Alice Parker’s arrangement is famous and often performed. What makes our vision unique is offering listeners a chance to both hear and see the original shape-note hymn, following the musical journey of how Parker shaped and molded the original into a musical gem that is juxtaposed with mid-century and contemporary styles of ballet technique.” David Hayes
“I wanted to keep it simple, as a way to honor the human voice and the human form. I love the idea of it being about the two things that don’t need any additional elements. They are the most natural way we exist.” Claudia Schreier
God is seen (Folk Hymn) Arr. Alice Parker (1967)
A cappella SATB chorus
Through all the world below God is seen all around,
Search hills and valleys through,
There He’s found.
The growing of the corn,
The lily and the thorn,
The pleasent and forlorn,
All declare, God is there.
In meadows drest in green,
God is seen.
See springing waters rise fountains flow, rivers run.
The mist that veils the sky.
Hides the sun.
Then down the rain doth pour,
The ocean it doth roar
And beat upon the shore,
And all praise, in their ways,
The God who ne’er declines His designs.
The sun with all his rays speaks of God as he flies.
The comet in her blaze,
“God”, she cries.
The shining of the stars,
The moon, when she appears
His awful name declares;
See them fly, through the sky.
And join the solemn sound all around,
All around
