"And under this tree...
You are loved as you are."
- Brian Newhouse
| About |
"Under this Tree" is an expression of gratitude for finding a home. In this case, the home is Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota. Though there are some lifelong Unity members, many others find their way to this liberal congregation as a kind of refuge, having survived all kinds of challenges. The first thing everyone sees inside is a lovely, tall ficus tree. There is almost no other imagery at the very front of the church save this graceful, green, living arc of welcome. Though I wrote this about one very specific tree in a specific place, you will have your own: it’ll be in your yard, a park, the woods, or maybe in the forest of your memory and imagination—wherever you find that place of renewal, where there is no veil between you and the Divine. What a joy to create this piece with Jake Runestad who implicitly understands the wordless power of nature to heal. - Brian Newhouse (poet/lyricist) |
| Instrumentation |
SATB & piano |
| Duration | 4:00 |
| Year Completed | 20 |
| Commissioner |
Unity Church-Unitarian. Saint Paul, MN. Ruth Palmer, director of music.
Premiere
May 1, 2016 conducted by the composer.
|
| Text |
Under This Tree I walked so long to find this tree, Who might I be? And under this tree... |
| Errata | None |
| Donations |
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| More Info | None |