Extinguish Thou My Eyes
Instrumentation
chamber windsExtinguish Thou My Eyes was originally a choral setting of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem Lösch mir die Augen aus, written for and premiered by Dale Voelker and the Washington Kantorei. This transcription for chamber winds was created by David Thornton and David Biedenbender.
Extinguish Thou My Eyes
by Rainer Maria Rilke
Extinguish Thou my eyes: I still can see Thee,
deprive my ears of sound: I still can hear Thee,
and without feet I still can come to Thee,
and without voice I still can call to Thee.
Sever my arms from me, I still will hold Thee
with all my heart as with a single hand,
arrest my heart, my brain will keep on beating,
and Should Thy fire at last my brain consume,
the flowing of my blood will carry Thee.
(Translated by Albert Ernest Flemming)