Till death us do part

Weddings are joyful occasions – for the happy couple as well as for their community. When a couple stands before their friends and families, and sometimes in sacred settings before God, they make vows to each other. These vows are not simply words from some ancient ceremony; they represent a covenant to be fulfilled. But some couples are called on to fulfil their vows to each other sooner rather than the more expected later. The text, by Charles Anthony Silvestri, is based on the author’s own experience loving his own wife through her difficult illness and early death, and it serves as a reminder to all those who take these vows that they come due sooner or later. Arnesen’s music is emotive and touching, at first portraying the joy and love of two people making their vows and, later, the turmoil of a breaking heart.