Miriam Gideon: She Weeps Over Rahoon

By Ace Gangoso

The holiday season is most commonly associated with joy, family, abundance, festivities, and nostalgia.  Each year as it approaches, I try to stay mindful that, for many, this time of year also comes with struggle.  Many go without basic comforts, and there is likely someone you know who will have to bear the sight of an empty chair at the dinner table.  This year, the weight of this reality is even more pronounced, and so it is crucial that we allow ourselves and others the space to express sorrow, to grieve, and to mourn.  We have all experienced some form of loss over the past several months, ranging from the death of a loved one to job loss and the ability to do a multitude of things that were previously considered to be normal.

I offer the words of James Joyce set to music by Miriam Gideon to allow us a pathway into this realm—not to wallow, but to help us welcome the full spectrum of experiences that make us human, and appreciate the beauty that can emerge from pain.

Photo by Irina Shishkina on Unsplash

“She Weeps Over Rahoon” is sung from the perspective of one standing at the grave of a lover, mourning and contemplating her own mortality.  It begins without introduction, calling to mind the suddenness with which grief can strike.   There is a feeling of unease and imbalance brought on by the contrasts between the vocal and piano lines.  The melody moans and weeps, moving with straight eighth notes, sometimes quite dramatically up and down throughout the range.  The accompaniment is more transparent, featuring triplet arpeggios that resemble a gentle but constant trickle of rain—subtle, almost indistinguishable from the falling of tears.

Through these moments of intense grief, we feel nature’s embrace: the pale moon watches over, the nettles reflect its light, and the rain mutters in sympathy.  There is great power and profundity in the quiet presence of nature, which is constantly moving and changing in spite of us and our worries and our dreams.  It carries on.  As long as we are here on this earth, so must we.

Author

Tenor Ace Gangoso recently completed his first season with Fourth Coast Ensemble.  His various other musical affiliations, including the CSO and Grant Park Choruses, Chicago a cappella, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the Chicago Black Catholics Choir, hint at his interests in different musical genres and styles.  He believes good songs are like onions: they come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, have many layers, and take on the unique flavors added by those entrusted to their care.