Music Dilemma

Since first hearing the piece, years before meeting Travalon, I have wanted “Welcome as the Dawn of Day” sung at my wedding. It is a love duet by Handel from the oratorio Solomon, with Solomon (a countertenor) and his queen (a soprano) singing to each other on their wedding night. Finding a countertenor would be a difficult proposition, but when Miss Heartsong said she wanted to sing at my wedding as her present to Travalon and me, I imagined her and Kathbert singing the duet. After all, Kathbert is a low enough alto that she could do a decent countertenor impression. My OTHER choir director said he would play the organ as his wedding gift to Travalon and me, and he is good enough that he could play the orchestral part, so it seemed my dream might come true.

Then last night at my OTHER choir practice, we sang a duet by a composer I had not heard of before, Michelangelo Grancini, called “Dulcis Christe,” and I fell in love with it. It has the distinct advantage of being a religious piece, so more fitting for a nuptial Mass, plus I know my OTHER choir director already has the music for it. What surprised me is that I loved the piece so much that it made me willing to toss aside my long-held dream of the other piece at my wedding. The love duet between Solomon and his bride pales in comparison to a love song to God; the words to this piece are all about how much the singer adores, loves, and desires God. Now I don’t know what to do. This piece is shorter and not as showy, but it may be a more practical choice. They are both so beautiful, it’s hard to choose. 

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