Cherish-Caress for Soprano and Violoncello

Cherish – Caress is a lyrical duet for soprano and cello. It is based on a warm and playful treatment of the etymology of charity. Barbara Harbach transforms these lyrics into a searchingly beautiful lullaby.

Charity begins at home.
Charity, love, begins at home.
Loving begins at home
Loving, love, begins at home.

And charity is divine, and charity is loving.
And charity is refreshment.
Refreshing refreshment and loving refreshment.
Charity caring and loving refreshment.

And charity caritas loving and dear.
The Latin is caritas loving and dear.
And carus is dear, costly and dear.
Carus expensive costly and dear.

For charity is loving, and I love loving.
Charity loving, and I love you dear.

And charity is caressing, endearing, and tenderly caring.
And cherishing, fondly touching, with loving affection.
To caress is to embrace, to tenderly handle, to treat with affection, with loving embrace.

And caress is a gentle stroking, a tender affecting, a fond and affectionate loving embrace. A soothing caress on the surface of skin.

Lovingly offered, tenderly tendered, gently desirous, and pleasingly proffered,
a caress is a softly solicitous amorous ache, a caressingly kind endearing embrace.

And caressing, like charity, begins at home.
Caresses, like charity, begin at home.

Jonathan Yordy