Composer

:

Eric Whitacre

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Chorus

Average_duration

:

4:48

"Water Night" is a choral composition by Eric Whitacre, premiered in 1995. The piece is set to a poem by Octavio Paz, which describes the sensation of being immersed in water at night. The composition is divided into three movements, each of which explores a different aspect of the poem's imagery. The first movement begins with a soft, ethereal texture, as the choir sings the opening lines of the poem: "Night with the eyes of a horse that trembles in the night, / Night with eyes of water in the field asleep / Is in your eyes, a horse that trembles, / Is in your eyes of secret water." The second movement features a more rhythmic and percussive texture, as the choir sings the lines "A shadow flows down from the hills / And into my heart with the blade of a knife." The music builds to a climax, before subsiding into a quiet, reflective section. The final movement returns to the soft, ethereal texture of the opening, as the choir sings the lines "Night with the eyes of a horse that trembles in the night, / Night with eyes of water in the field asleep / Is in your eyes, a horse that trembles, / Is in your eyes of secret water." The music gradually fades away, leaving the listener with a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. Overall, "Water Night" is characterized by its lush harmonies, shimmering textures, and evocative use of imagery. The piece has become one of Whitacre's most popular compositions, and has been performed by choirs around the world.

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