A part of the living slowly dies as loved ones perish. The lyrics speak to a missing son. Daughters, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, aunts & uncles have died in this war as well.
Gorecki's Symphony No. 3, Third Movement
Where has he gone
My dearest son?
Perhaps during the uprising
The cruel enemy killed him
Ah, you bad people
In the name of God, the most Holy,
Tell me, why did you kill
My son?
Never again
Will I have his support
Even if I cry
My old eyes out
Were my bitter tears
to create another River Oder
They would not restore to life
My son
He lies in his grave
and I know not where
Though I keep asking people
Everywhere
Perhaps the poor child
Lies in a rough ditch
and instead he could have been
lying in his warm bed
Oh, sing for him
God's little song-birds
Since his mother
Cannot find him
And you, God's little flowers
May you blossom all around
So that my son
May sleep happily
Note: I chose this work by Henryk Górecki because it speaks to loss. First heard at the end of a film, it was so moving that I bought the recording. Upon reading the credits, I saw that the soprano who touched me deeply was a childhood school mate.
