After the tragic death of our friend Andres Giedion's highly gifted daughter, he asked us if we could do something musical for the funeral. Brigitte found the Rilke text:
Ich lebe mein Leben in wachsenden Ringen, die sich über die Dinge ziehn. Ich werde den letzten vielleicht nicht vollbringen, aber versuchen will ich ihn.
Ich kreise um Gott, um den uralten Turm, und ich kreise jahrtausendelang; und ich weiß noch nicht: bin ich ein Falke, ein Sturm oder ein großer Gesang.
I live my life in ever-growing circles which stretch out over all the things. I will not, perhaps, complete the last one, but I will try.
I circle around God, around the ancient tower, and I circle thousands of years long; and I still don't know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a large song.
It was first scored for Soprano (Fiona) and Trombone (Philip) and they practised it together. In the end, for some reason I now forget, it was sung with the organ in the chapel where the service took place.
I include both versions here: