Eric Whitacre

It takes my breath away…like that peaceful and heavenly moment after finding THE thing that makes everything just perfect…

I love both the choral and the string versions, i love the big jock-off chord in the string versions because it sounds like all the notes are trying to run away from each other shouting 'we shouldn'tfit together' but at the same time realising that they do.

Everything has to stop when that note plays belive me. They should play this song over afganistan, korea and iraq, then we may just get some world peace out of them.

and might i say… finally, a good looking classical composer.

haha I totally just scrounged around and dug up my old sheet music so I could sing along!! <3 my absolute favorite! I think this should be the next EWVC piece, hands down!

Surreal and haunting. Has been my favorite for a long time. I can literally hear the water…somewhere, somewhen, in dream-water.

This song always reminds me of those times when you're trying with everything in you to keep from crying. The text about water in the eyes and then the flowing deepness of the music always brings me back to that thought. I also love the dynamic and melodic contrast on the words "open" and "close". The whole piece is just beautiful.

When I heard this song, I cried. I guess it was because there was so much truth in the words I was reading and the music I was hearing and the voices singing it that my body couldn't hold it in. Thank you for caring so much about the words to protect them with music, and to add to it your own truth.

We're doing this in our choir soon, am so excited. I wonder if I'm the only one who gets chills whilst singing it?

I've sung this song as part of a choir and have also listened to it dozens and dozens of times outside of that, and I still can't help but cry at the 2:40 mark – the "If you open your eyes" line. My word, a more beautiful musical phrase has never been written. I'm listening to the orchestral version right now, having never heard it before, and it's still just as powerful…how does that happen? Amazing, Mr. Whitacre, simply amazing.

My first experience with Mr. Whitacre was in sophomore year of high school with this song. As a soprano 1 and never hearing his music, all I cared about was hitting high notes- loudly. I will never forget the first time the choir came together and sang "If you open your eyes…" The air was shimmering with the beauty of the vocals and the music on the page. Everyone was reduced to tears, including my friends who originally thought choir was stupid.

Since then, I have only performed "Sleep" and "Animal Crackers Vol. 1" I am still trying to get my director for college to perform at least SOMETHING directly from this gorgeous man's mind. Eric Whitacre has affected me more than any other person.

Thank you.

I discovered your music when my choir teacher played a bit of When David Heard a while back – all of us instantly fell in love and have grown to love your work. We really want to do one of your songs for Spring concert, but our teacher isn't sure we could handle it. I sincerely hope I get to sing at least a couple of your pieces in the future, especially Sleep, When David Heard, The Seal Lullaby, What If, Lux Aurumque, and, most of all, WATER NIGHT. I love this song more than any of the others!

I would be THRILLED if we could do this song for virtual choir next year – I loved being a part of Sleep this year. Regardless, I was thrilled to sing Sleep and look forward to whatever song you pick next year.

This song is probably the most touching I've heard of your works. It's just so beautiful and true. I so wish that ArkCDA would do this piece for my senior year of All-State next year.(Or, at least one of your pieces.) We did "Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine" last year. (My sophomore year.) And, of course, chills came all over. You're an inspiration to me, sincerely. I long await the day that I can compose and conduct my own choral pieces. Thank you for your work.

This is my high school choir singing Water Night at OMEA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtDsINULg7c
We're so passionate about this song, and we all love singing it.

Sorry to bother you Mr. W, it's me again,

I've listened to this song over and over, and I meant to ask a question that eluded me before about the lyrics:

The passage: "If you open your eyes, night opens, doors of musk…"

In the original spanish text — "Si abres los ojos, se abre la noche de puertas de musgo…" — they are 'doors of moss', rather than musk.

Now, I would not change a thing and I am not a musician (music lover, yes). And this is a small thing, but to my uneducated ear it seems that "moss" would have fit or sounded just as well; so I'm just wondering about the choice of the word "musk", which gives a slightly different meaning to the text.

In any case, I realize you have a well-earned artistic and creative license to make such subtle changes in order to take the music to new heights, and I can only imagine that Octavio Paz would have been so pleased by your interpretation.

On that note (pun intended), I also want to thank you for introducing me and the world to the works of Octavio Paz and so many other poets, in such a wonderful way.

Labai gražu. Gera muzika, puiki aranžuotė.

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG. I heard it about it a year ago and when I listen to it today, i feel like i’m listening to it for the first time. This song is breathtaking and can’t get over how beautiful it is. You should tour around the U.S and come to high schools, it will be amazing! Love your work!!

I am assistant concertmaster in my high school orchestra, and we got the string arrangement a little while ago, and it completely blew me away. Looking at the score, from a theorists perspective, it’s complexities are impressive, but actually listening to it, I am just in awe. I would love our orchestra to be able to really do this song justice. It is such an incredible piece, and as so many people have said, the world just seems to pause while this piece plays. I just can not passively listen to it. Although, based purely on notes, it is certainly not the most difficult thing I have played, but it is probably my favorite. Thank you so much, for composing such an impressive work.

For most of this year’s Christmas day, I have been at my mother’s bedside at the local hospital. She has been having trouble lately, and I have been totally stressed and broken. But, while listening to this song and many others on Eric’s Light and Gold Album, I have felt an overwhelming calming and peace flow through me, just as the “river fills from within”. Thank you Eric, for sharing your gift with the world. You have touched many people’s lives through music, including mine. Although I am just a 17 year old boy, music runs through my veins. You are a vision, a role model, and a very talented man. Looking forward to many more beautiful poems and choral music from you, Eric!

In December of 1991, in a concert commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death, I was privileged enough to be part of the symphonic choir at the University of Nevada, Reno. The choir director was much loved and esteemed by all of us, with his gentle correction and lilting drawl. It was, of course, Dr Bruce Mayhall. I would be delighted to sing this piece in his honor.

When I first personally experience Eric Whitacre’s music I was a sophmore year in high school [I'm a junior now so last year]. It was Lux Aurumque that had activated something in my mind that opened new doors for me. Having been in my high school choir since freshman year, I now listen to everything Eric Whitacre composes, and he never fails to empress me. Water Night, to me, is romantic and tranquil. This piece is my favorite piece up to date because of its texture and beauty. I Thank you Eric Whitacre for being such a great composer, and composing such beautiful pieces that I forever hold close to my heart!
-Zeng Cha