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about
"Lyra" is a pop song for alto, piano, and double-viola string quartet about recognizing someone in your present as being a soulmate from a past life, but living with the pain of THEM not recognizing YOU (which seemed a fitting theme for Valentine’s Day). The chords used in the song are meant to synesthetically match the colors of the stars found in the Lyra constellation, as well as the Ring Nebula, via Mary’s personal synesthesia color palette.
“Lyra” was composed as part of Mary’s ongoing collaboration with the incredible Museum of Science, Boston as part of their Synesthesia Suite: Live concert series, and was premiered at the Charles Hayden Planetarium on November 30th 2017.
You can watch the music video (created by the Museum of Science's award-winning planetarium team) by visiting Mary's Youtube page (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvhHQMrSFmw), as well as purchase "Lyra" sheet music via pay-what-you-wish pricing from her online shop (www.marybichner.com/shop).
lyrics
LYRICS:
seeing you fills me with a sadness
i cannot explain
why do i know your smile?
why can't i speak your name?
i'm convinced our hearts entwined in a
lifetime long ago
but when you say "hello"
i know you do not know
haunting wintered garden paths in the
moonbright midnight air
(foolish to will you near:
you could be anywhere)
but something deep inside you calls to an
ancient part of me
i can't escape the sound
why does it follow me?
seeing you fills me with a sadness
i cannot endure
why can't i hold you close?
what is this anguish for?
what bleak star cursed me to remember
and you to forget?
why are we separate?
don't you recognize me yet?
don't you recongize me yet?
la la la la, ooh la ooh
credits
released February 14, 2021
Composed and arranged by: Mary Bichner. Performed by: Mary Bichner (vocals, piano), Tudor Dornescu (violin) Anna Stromer (viola I), Carrol Lee (viola II), Alan Toda-Ambaras (cello). Piano and strings recorded live by Kyle Rassmussen during the premiere of "Lyra" at the Charles Hayden Planetarium on November 30, 2017. Vocals recorded by Mary Bichner in her bedroom studio (because the lyrics changed a bit :)). Recorded by Peter Moore (track 1) and Mary Bichner (tracks 2, 3 & 4). Mixed and mastered by Peter Moore. Artwork by Kristilyn Ink (www.kristilynink.com).
Composed for "Synesthesia Suite: Live", Mary's ongoing visual music concert collaboration with the incredible Museum of Science Boston and the Charles Hayden Planetarium (www.marybichner.com/synesthesiasuitelive). Special thanks to the wonderful Marble House Project of Dorset, Vermont.
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