Let My Love Be Heard
$2.50
SATB with divisi
5:30
Note: This is a digital score (PDF).
*If you need to purchase fewer copies than allowed,
please use this form.
THE STORY
Though originally written for Choral Arts Northwest, this work has taken on a new life in light of the atrocities in Paris and Beirut. Jonathan Talberg, the conductor of the choir at Cal State Long Beach, led his singers in a performance during the memorial vigil for Nohemi Gonzalez, a Long Beach student who was killed in the Paris attacks. The day after the vigil, the choir was supposed to begin rehearsing holiday music; however, Jonathan felt that was not appropriate and wanted time for the singers to grieve this loss. So, at the beginning of rehearsal, he passed out a brand new piece of music (Let My Love Be Heard), rehearsed it, and then recorded it. It was posted on SoundCloud and shared in memory of Nohemi and as a plea for peace. Their musical offering is a powerful outpouring of grief but also a glimmer of light. I am honored that this piece, "Let My Love Be Heard," has helped to provide hope in the darkness of our world.
NOTE: A new version of the score was released April 5, 2018 with new rhythms in measures 13-14 and 22-23. Please use these rhythms for all performances.
m. 13-14 & 22-23:
by Alfred Noyes
Angels, where you soar
Up to God’s own light,
Take my own lost bird
On your hearts tonight;
And as grief once more
Mounts to heaven and sings,
Let my love be heard
Whispering in your wings.
JPRC –
Tears me up every time I listen to this song.
Z –
I have the great pleasure of singing this song with other members of an advanced youth choir. There is simply nothing like it. It is truly one of the greatest honors of my life to perform this work that Runestad has wrought.
Goose –
I can’t listen to this song enough. It begins simply and builds to a breathtaking tour de force of plaintive grief. It is evident that this song was inspired by your own experience with grief, and for that I am equally sorry but also grateful that you have been able to channel it into something eternal and that will benefit so many others. Simply gorgeous and deserving of its place in the panoply of classic choral pieces.
MB –
I just had the absolute pleasure of preforming this beautiful piece with the 2019 Alberta Youth Choir. I will hold this piece close to my heart for the rest of my life, there is something so special about the way this piece evokes such an emotional response in not only the audience but the performers as well. Let my Love be Heard taught me about the importance of not only singing whats written on the page, but sharing the stories behind it. 10/10 piece!
David L. –
Tonight I saw/heard VOCES8 perform this piece when they visited my area. It was one of the highlights of their concert, and I don’t think there were many dry eyes in the hall (certainly not mine).
Jake Runestad (verified owner) –
I’m so glad you were there to hear it! Thank you!
Katie Goodman –
My high school mixed really LOVE this piece. Definitely quite challenging, I would rate it around a Medium-Advanced level (JW Pepper rankings).
Anton T. –
Beautiful and chilling at the same time. The amount of emotion put into the composition truly shows in the harmonies and dissonances. Great piece, moderately difficult and appropriate for a more advanced ensemble