Love Senses uses excerpts from the “Song of Songs” in the Bible. Intrigued initially by this book’s racy content, I was later more impressed by its discussion of the physical responses of the enamored King Solomon to his beloved. Much detail is used to list the enhanced sensual response of King awoken by his beloved. I have arranged the five movements of Love Senses to outline a possible scenario for the day in the life of the enamored king:
1) Initial awakening or awareness of the beloved, 2) Morning: growth of his enamored state, 3) Midday: day dream-like walk in the garden. 4) Evening: socializing with friends, becomes drunk (with love), 5) Night: while sleeping, he is reminded of his different experiences before going to sleep. The use of a repeated melodic fragment in the last movement makes musical reference to the “Sonata Sopra ‘Sancta Maria’” from Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610.
Arise my Love
Who is This
A Fountain of Gardens
Awake O North Wind
Sleep Variation