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Description
The source text, taken from Mark’s Gospel, describes the progressive restoration of sight to a blind man, as well as the physical means by which Christ conducted the healing. Phrases are mapped onto the background rhythm which, as with many of the other compositions on the CD, provides the spine of, and motor for, the piece. A number are repeated as couplets. This effects to slow down the progress of the narrative and enhance the sense of intimacy accompanying Christ’s exchanges with the blind man. Interspersed with this primary voice, a secondary voice – which serves as a responsive chorus – repeats the phrase ‘touch him’ throughout.
The percussive accompaniment begins as a stately beat, made into a loop, derived from the sound of the tone-arm being lifted off the record’s surface. The spirit of the rhythm was inspired by the military drumming that accompanies Henry Purcell’s (1659–95) ‘Funeral Music for Queen Mary’ (Z. 860) (1695). The beat, thereafter, is constructed from a combination of clicks, scratches, and static that are looped and allowed to feedback upon themselves to evoke a double snare-drum and bass drum ensemble. Their rhythm becomes progressively polyrhythmic and syncopated.
Lyric
And he cometh to
And he cometh to
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
And he cometh to
And he cometh to
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
and they bring a blind man unto him
and they bring a blind man unto him
Touch him
and besought him to
touch him
touch him
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town
And he cometh to
And he cometh to
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
and when he had spit on his eyes
and when he had spit on his eyes
and put his hands upon him
touch him
touch him
he asked him if he saw ought, saw ought
he asked him if he saw ought, saw ought
And he looked up
And he looked up
and when he had spit on his eyes
and when he had spit on his eyes
And he looked up
he asked him if he saw ought, saw ought
he asked him if he saw ought
and said
I see men as trees, walking
I see men as trees, walking
I see men as trees, walking
I see men
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town
I see men as trees, walking
I see men as trees, walking
I see men as trees, walking
I see men
And he cometh to
And he cometh to
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
And he cometh to
And he cometh to
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes
touch him
touch him
and made him look up
And he looked up
touch him
touch him
and made him look up
And he looked up
and he was restored
and saw every man clearly.
And he sent him away to his house
And he sent him away to his house
Saying
Saying
Neither go into the town
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
nor tell it to any in the town
Bethsaida
Bethsaida
and he was restored
and saw every man clearly
Biblical Text
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
Biblical Reference
Mark 8. 22–26.
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