When Art Inspires Art

I love it when this happens. So often, I'll write a song that is inspired by someone else's work . And so it thrills me when my work has inspired another's.

Last weekend I performed a couple of concerts in Ottawa with the Ottawa symphony. They were such an excellent orchestra and the Hall (Dominion Chalmers Church) is my favorite hall in the country. It has a unique beauty and is truly an inspiring space to sing in. Dave Z, my manager and soundman did a tremendous job there.

Of course, my band tore the place up. Mike Janzen (piano) is undeniably one of the best musicians one could hope to work with, as is Gilles Fournier (bass) and Daniel Roa (drums). Their zany humour only adds to their excellence.

Also, Rei Hotoda, my conductor, has conducted 22 concerts for me to date, and she lends an elegance and grace that is hard to describe or measure.

At both of these concerts, the audience was particularly engaged and enthusiastic and so when you put all that together, you get a perfect storm situation for a very memorable event.

So today - I received a note from a man (Brian Wilke) who was at the concert and wrote the following poem during the songs Moon Over Birkenau and Dark Night of the Soul. It is a perfect lenten reflection and carries a rich, dark beauty so appropriate for this season. I asked him if I could post it and he graciously consented:


In this dying light- a tenebrae prayer.
March 28th, 2009

Location: steve bell with the Ottawa Symphony orchestra, Dominion-Chalmers United Church, Ottawa Ontario.
Music: steve bell moon over birkenau, dark night of the soul.

darkness gathers about the cross, the light there dying draws it.
like lions circle prey
all darkness dances about the cross, for the light there dying draws it.
O tell me this is a ruse,
that you bait destruction with your failing flame,
that you draw it from your nestlings with your broken wing,
that this is not what it seems.
where now is the promise of death’s death in this dying light?

sorrow tarries for the night…
keep me, Lord, keep me ‘til the morning.