Soldier Rest (for Cost)


Photo by Silas

My friend, and fellow experimental musician, Danny Costa passed away in April of 2024. He was 39 years old. In August I was part of a special concert in his memory. My performance used the following poem...

Soldier Rest
by Sir Walter Scott

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er,

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking;

Dream of battled fields no more,

Days of danger, nights of waking.

In our isle’s enchanted hall,

Hands unseen thy couch are strewing,

Fairy strains of music fall,

Every sense in slumber dewing.

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er,

Dream of fighting fields no more;

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,

Morn of toil, nor night of waking.

No rude sound shall reach thine ear,

Armour’s clang, or war-steed champing,

Trump nor pibroch summon here

Mustering clan or squadron tramping.

Yet the lark’s shrill fife may come

At the daybreak from the fallow,

And the bittern sound his drum,

Booming from the sedgy shallow.

Ruder sounds shall none be near,

Guards nor warders challenge here,

Here’s no war-steed’s neigh and champing,

Shouting clans or squadrons stamping.

Huntsman, rest! thy chase is done;

While our slumberous spells assail ye,

Dream not, with the rising sun,

Bugles here shall sound reveillé.

Sleep! the deer is in his den;

Sleep! thy hounds are by thee lyin

Sleep! nor dream in yonder glen

How thy gallant steed lay dying.

Huntsman, rest! thy chase is done;

Think not of the rising sun,

For at dawning to assail ye

Here no bugles sound reveillé.

———

You can learn more about Danny Costa’s work here and his project Rohit has a Bandcamp page here.

There is a short video of my performance here.

You can play or download a free MP3 of the full performance here. This was recorded to cassette by K. Geiger and mastered by Grant Richardson.

R.I.P. Danny.

-Jonathan Canady 

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