Mourned from Afar is a work for brass band, soprano and baritone. It is intended as a requiem for the times we are living through in the pandemic that started in 2020. It is also a personal testament to the emotions and struggles that the composer himself has gone through during this time.

The text was written by Monique Bronkhorst and used in three languages ​​in the work. At the moment there is only the Swiss version with solos in German, French and Italian and brass band accompaniment. This version premiered in September 2022 by the Swiss Army Brass Band conducted by Philipp Werlen.

The work consists of the following parts:

• Prologue: an opening for brass band,
• Healthcare Heroes: solo for soprano,
• Transition 1: intermezzo for brass band,
• Loneliness: solo for baritone,
• Transition 2: intermezzo for brass band,
• Earth: duet for soprano and baritone,
• Transition 3: intermezzo for brass band,
• Lament: solo for soprano,
• Transition 4: intermezzo for brass band,
• Solidarity: solo for baritone,
• Transition 5: intermezzo for brass band,
• What if: duet for soprano and baritone,
• Epilogue: finale for brass band.

The transitions form the connecting element between the different sung parts.

The title refers to part of the text: “mourned from a distance, loved, missed” from the Lament.

Grade: 6
Duration: 38:00

This work is offered on a licensed basis, the first performance costs 250, additional performances cost 100, per performance.

Listen to Mourned from Afar

Demo Score

Text

Healthcare Heroes

For cool hands on feverish heads
watchful eyes on monitors
compassion wrapped in plastic
give them a blissful break now

For those who fought bravely for our freedom
Protected us from further suffering
For those who fell in battle
So that they may now lay down their weary heads

What if

What if pain had no beginning and no end,
we have to miss fathers and mothers and brothers,
only homeless people wander the streets
And fear rules our daily lives

What if caregivers themselves need to be cared for,
Social intercourse becomes a verb,
The music in cafes remains silent
Let us then encourage and comfort one another

Loneliness

For those in eternal retreat
Fatally struck in their isolation
Endless hours ahead
mere fear as a gloomy housemate

Comfort provided by covered faces
lovers shrunk to tablet form
offers them the eternal embrace
a loving rocking to infinity

Earth

Respite for the wounded earth
She takes a deep breath and from her motherly strength
new greenery rises among charred remains
oxygen for our body and mind

Oh, let us see the light and repent
when cars drive again, planes fly again
life resumes its normal course
then let us take care of this victim.

Lament

For those who drowned breathless
Their flame extinguished too soon and forever
Mourned, loved, missed from a distance
Let us never forget them

For those who went down fighting
Risked their lives for ours
Reward their courage and bravery
And grant them a place in paradise

Solidarity

Bound in strict isolation
Suddenly we saw the other standing
How much more bearable our distress became
Now that we could alleviate other suffering

Applause sounds better than a single clap
Stopping tears turns out to be a small thing
Together we unleash unsuspected powers
Let us cherish in our hearts an everlasting warmth.