Singing the Song of Songs: 700 Years of a Biblical Love Song

Evensong Singers

The verses of the Bible's Song of Songs have inspired composers for centuries with their expressive poetry. In this concert, Dr. Philip Cave, Duke Chapel's conductor-in-residence, and the Evensong Singers present settings of these texts from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century that show how changing musical idioms continue to renew our encounter with this ancient poetry.

Free admission. Paid parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Bryan Center Parking Lot at 125 Science Drive. ADA parking is available at the surface lot at the same address.

Unique within the biblical canon, the Song of Songs, also called the Song of Solomon, speaks of love and longing in language that is heard both literally and symbolically, as human intimacy and as an image of divine devotion. Renaissance composers often set these words within balanced polyphony that invites contemplation and spiritual order, while modern composers tend to respond more directly to their immediacy and ambiguity. Hear how words and music combine to express the passion of this sacred poem.