My Beloved Speaks

Use: Wedding
Required Resources: cantor (medium voice), organ
Language: English

What church music program can't use a solid, wedding solo based on Scripture, for medium voice and organ? Mark Siebert has given us just that - and it's proven by years of use at his parish, the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul (Episcopal) in Springfield, Illinois.

The text is from the Song of Songs 2:10-13; 8:6-7.

My beloved speaks and says to me:
"Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone,
The flow'rs appear on the earth, the time for singing has come,
and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm;
For love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.
Set me as a seal on your heart."

The vocal range is C to E and the organ accompaniment is effective but simple. This is a wonderful addition to any soloist's repertoire.