The Voice of Isaac
Although premiered at Jordan Hall in March 2003 by a children’s chorus (PALS) with baritone soloist, The Voice of Isaac has subsequently been presented with solo adult voices and can effectly be presented in several possible ways including adult singers (chorus and soloists) only, as well as a combination of adult and children singing choral and solo parts.
Program note [from March 2003 Jordan Hall premiere]:
I am eight maybe nine years old, kids flicking spitballs at each other in Saturday School at Temple Shalom in Chicago; an adult up in front of class telling us the story of Abraham and Isaac, how God tests Abraham with the sacrifice of Isaac: and I am confused, troubled, worried. What about Isaac? I wonder in my head, but am too angry to give voice to my thoughts. How can this adult teacher relate this horrible trauma of Isaac’s near death at his own parent’s hands to a room full of young children and so blantantly gloss over the child’s view of the story? Perhaps more disturbing, though, is that I am not really surprised. How often, in all too many families we know (perhaps even our own), are children “sacrificed” to the narcissistic needs and destructive impulses of their own parents, and how consistently do the adults around them (not just their parents), either for shame or ignorance, look in another direction, a child’s story left untold or consciously denied. Back in religious school I wished there could have been someone in that classroom to stand up and give voice to Isaac. Instead we fidgeted uncomfortably at our desks and waited embarrassed (at our own silence? or at our teacher’s overly confident voice?) until the bell rang for the end of class.
Last spring while listening to the children of PALS sing I was reminded of the echo of my own young voice from another time when I was a kid, a littler human being: the sound of that voice has never completely left me, even as an adult - its vulnerabilty, its awkward truthfulness, its wonder at all that is good and bad in the world. And I remembered that day when I had wished someone could have stood up and given voice to Isaac. It was also last spring when what seemed an endless wave of child abuse allegations broke forth from behind a wall of silence in the Church, while at the same time young adolescents were blowing themselves up in the Middle East - children being sacrificed, quite literally, to an adult god. And I thought perhaps now is a good time to listen to the voices of children, to retell their (our) stories, with the hope of hearing the distant echoes of our own histories and futures.
The Voice of Isaac [libretto]
1. Overture (from Genesis Chapter 22)
NARRATOR (spoken): The time came when God put Abraham to the test. “Abraham”, he called, and Abraham replied, “Here I am.” God said, “Take your son Isaac, your only son, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and he took with him two of his men and his son Isaac; and he split the firewood for the burnt offering, and set out for the place of which God had spoken. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulder, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to Abraham, “Father”, and he answered, “What is it, my son?” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand to cover Isaac’s face and took the knife to kill his son.
But Isaac, breaking free, held his father’s hand, and Abraham seeing his son, cried out in wonder,
2a. Here I am: Isaac and Abraham Duet
ABRAHAM: Isaac? ISAAC: Here I am. [repeated]
2b. Isaac’s Lament
ISAAC: Where is the lamb? What is this strange place?
Why, father, does your hand hold back my face?
I cannot see you.
Can you not see me?
Are you a stranger? Am I not your son?
Where is mother? Father, what have I done?
Can you not hear me?
I cannot hear you.
These ropes hurt. It is dark. I cannot see.
I am tired, I am cold. Please, look at me!
Oh please, dear father, won’t you hold my hand?
ABRAHAM: Look what you’ve done with your wriggling about.
[recitative] Be still while I pull the ropes taut again.
Quiet, quiet. Stop crying.
Can’t you see? You’re too young to understand.
Oh please, dear father, won’t you hold my hand?
I am tired. I am cold. Where is the lamb?
You cannot see me. You cannot hear me.
Will you kill Isaac? Shall he be slaughtered?
It’s God’s will. Why can you not see, Isaac?
3. Game Song
ISAAC: Here I am. I’ll be your little lamb.--
Can you catch me? Will you kill me? Shall I die?
Kill the lamb! Slit his throat! Spill his blood! (repeated)
Come play with me! (repeated)
ABRAHAM: Isaac!
Here I am. Then I’ll be God. Now, run!--
Can I catch you? Will I kill you? Here I come!
Kill the lamb! Slit his throat! Spill his blood! (repeated)
Come play with me! (repeated)
Isaac, stop this!
Who am I then? God or little lamb?--
Can you tell me, will you tell me who I am?
I am tired! I am cold! Play with me. (repeated)
Where is father? (repeated)
Here I am. I am not God nor a lamb!
Can you not hear? Can you not see? I am Abraham!
Kill Isaac! Slit his throat! Spill his blood! (repeated)
Give me the knife! (repeated)
No, Isaac, no! You are my son.
4. Revelation: Abraham/Isaac Recitative
ISAAC: You can be the little lamb if you want.
ABRAHAM: I won’t be the lamb. I am your father.
[With your father, were you his little lamb?
(x2) Why do you ask me that?] I don’t remember.
Would he yell at the sky? Were you frightened?
I was a child. I hardly remember.
Now you can be God. I will be your lamb.
5. Abraham’s Lament
ABRAHAM: My God, who is this little lamb, this child
who, for my sake, would let himself be killed?
I cannot see him.
He cannot see me.
Am I a stranger? Is he not my son?
If he kills himself shall God’s will be done?
I cannot hear you.
Can you not hear me?
ISAAC: These ropes hurt. It is dark. I cannot see.
I am tired, I am cold. Please, look at me!
Oh please, dear father, won’t you hold my hand?
He cannot see me. I will not hear him.
I was once the lamb. His fear was mine. (x2)
Oh please, dear Father, won’t you hold back my hand?
6. Recognition: Isaac and Abraham Duet
ISAAC: You are Isaac’s dear father, my father.
I am Isaac, your son, your only son. ABRAHAM: Yes, I remember. I remember now.
Here I am. Here I am. I can see you. I want a son; I have a son to love.
Here I am. Here I am. Can you hear me?
7. Reflection/Chorale
ISAAC: Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the lord my soul to take.
Peters Editions
C.F. Peters Corporation
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Glendale, NY 11385
05/14/03 Liber unUsualis [3 voice ensemble], piano/vocal, Composers In Red Sneakers Concert
11/09/05 Libella Quartet [ 4 voices] piano/vocal, Longy School of Music Faculty Artist Concert
