La Oración Del Ateo (“The atheist’s prayer”), for vocal quartet and piano, is a setting of a poem by the Spanish author and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936). The poem is a lament; it concerns the despair of one who understands that God does not exist, but longs for the opposite to be true. The music alternates between passages for solo voice and more madrigal-like passages for the full ensemble. All the while, the piano provides a sparse commentary suggesting uncertainty, regret, and at times, discord. La Oración Del Ateo was written in 2012 and premiered in Cleveland, Ohio by soprano Joy Powell, mezzo-soprano Dani Arndt, tenor Joselín E. Ramírez, baritone Corey K. Rubin (the composer), and pianist Zachary Lynn.
Oye mi ruego Tú, Dios que no existes, y en tu nada recoge estas mis quejas, Tú que a los pobres hombres nunca dejas sin consuelo de engaño. No resistes
a nuestro ruego y nuestro anhelo vistes. Cuando Tú de mi mente más te alejas, más recuerdo las plácidas consejas con que mi ama endulzóme noches tristes.
¡Qué grande eres, mi Dios! Eres tan grande que no eres sino Idea; es muy angosta la realidad por mucho que se expande
para abarcarte. Sufro yo a tu costa, Dios no existente, pues si Tú existieras existiría yo también de veras.
Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936)
Hear my prayer You, God who doesn’t exist, and in your nothingness, gather these my complaints. You who never leaves us poor men without false comfort. You never resist
our plea and you disguise our yearning. When You move further from my mind, more do I remember the pleasant stories with which my nursemaid sweetened sad nights.
How vast You are, my God! You are so vast that You are nothing but an Idea; very narrow is reality, no matter how much it expands
to embrace You. I suffer on your account, non-existent God, since were You to exist I too would truly exist.
translation by Corey K. Rubin
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