Still falls the rain. IE TCD MS 11637/1

IE TCD MS 11637/1 'Still falls the rain' is a musical composition for contralto and string quartet by Ina Boyle, set to words to the poem of the same name by Edith Sitwell. In 7 distinct sections, as follows: /1: text of the poem by Edith Sitwell: "Still falls the rain - Dark as the world of man, black as our loss - Blind as the nineteen hundred and forty nails Upon the Cross. Still falls the Rain With a sound like the pulse of the heart that is changed to the hammer-beat In the Potter's Field, and the sound of the impious feet On the Tomb: Still falls the Rain In the Field of Blood where the small hopes breed and the human brain Nurtures its greed, that worm with the brow of Cain. Still falls the Rain At the feet of the Starved Man hung upon the Cross. Christ that each day, each night, nails there, have mercy on us On Dives and on Lazarus: Under the Rain the sore and the gold are as one. Still falls the Rain Still falls the Blood from the Starved Man's wounded Side: He bears in His Heart all wounds, those of the light that died, The last faint spark In the self-murdered heart, the wounds of the sad uncomprehending dark, The wounds of the baited bear, - The blind and weeping bear whom the keepers beat On his helpless flesh... the tears of the hunted hare. Still falls the Rain - Then - O Ile leape up to my God: who pulles me doune - See, see where Christ's blood streames in the firmament: It flows from the Brow we nailed upon the tree Deep to the dying, to the thirsting heart That holds the fires of the world, - dark-smirched with pain As Caesar's laurel crown. Then sounds the voice of One who like the heart of man Was once a child who among beasts has lain - 'Still do I love, still shed my innocent light, my Blood, for thee." ; /2: score; /3: piano reduction; /4: violin I; /5: violin II; /6: viola; /7: violoncello. For other related material for 'Still Falls The Rain' see also IE TCD MS 4153, a score, in wrappers (digitised and available at https://doi.org/10.48495/k930c1050 ) ; IE TCD MS 4154 set of instrumental parts (digitised and available at https://doi.org/10.48495/wp988s45s) ; IE TCD MS 4155, a piano score, in wrappers (digitised and available at https://doi.org/10.48495/2b88qf727) ; IE TCD MS 4156, pencil sketches (digitised and available at https://doi.org/10.48495/v979vb06g)