What did the church do in its very first centuries, when division threatened to tear her apart? She came together, united in formulating her CREDO, the confession of faith, spread throughout the world.
Thus, the dream woke to create a church musical work around this CREDO. To once again be able to pay attention to, and gather in its reconciling unity. From there, extend further in a divided world.
It is a work where the early formulations of Latin connect to church music of our time, while the choir gives voice to an ongoing conversation between time and eternity, visible and invisible, all based on the main theme of CREDO.
STIM has given its ”yes” to granting a first financial support from ”The Dream of Music”. We are now looking for churches, both in Sweden and Europe, who want to be part of the continued effort to have the work premiered in the fall of 2027 – preferably several churches at the same time.
Is your church interested to become one of theese?
Welcome to make a contact, you find us below.
Presentation as Pdf – Added letter
About the music
Stefan Klaverdal, composer and musician with extensive experience in choral music both as a singer and as a conductor. Among his compositions are the oratorio ”At the Gate”, for the 900th anniversary of Lund Cathedral, where all choirs in the congregation also participated in the composition process. Examples of simpler music are included in the proposal for a new hymnal. In 2025, he was recognized with the Swedish Church’s Cultural Scholarship.
”My idea for the music is a level where the singing corresponds to an oratorio choir, with the addition of soloists. The work features characters such as John the Evangelist and Mary, the mother of Jesus. With different conditions, the music can either be performed by a smaller orchestra, such as wind instruments/organ/strings – with the possibility of only a string quartet/organ, as well as optional speakers. Lights can also be integrated into the music, to further enhance the drama that unfolds throughout the work.”
www.stefanklaverdal.se – stefan@stefanklaverdal.se – +46702620999
See the web page for more sound samples.
About the text
Åsa Hagberg Author and psalmist with a long and broad production of texts, mostly for church music with several composers. From oratorios, including If God would walk on the earth, music Sofia Östling, which is presented in the Church Music Symposium 2026 – to simpler hymns. 11 hymns in the Swedish new hymn proposal, as well as 2 in the Norwegian hymn renewal. Multiple Anders Frostenson scholarship holder.
”The aim of the text has been to give CREDO its living present, as it is connecting to God’s ”I am”. Creation, the Word, the incarnation, the birth, the crucifixion, the descent and the resurrection. Everything takes place in the present, likewize the wind of the Spirit, the birth of the Church and the hope of eternity. The text incorporates phrases from both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, as well as biblical words. A text in which we collectively recognize ourselves.”
www.asahagbeg.se – asahagbe@gmail.com – +705274398
Samples of the text
From the three parts I collect some samples of the text – divided by / to illuminate the conversation between visible and invisible, sacred and human. Not that any choir singers have the role of being God in the work, but the voice of God is reproduced through the voices of the choir and the music that surrounds them. Roles appear only in parts II and III, in the human, such as the evangelist John and Mary.
The text is still in process, open for changes.
From Part I: I AM – CREATOR – THE FATHER
Out of silence, the introduction rises from the fundamental note that carries eternity. Tone by tone, first in the invisible, before the visible emerges.
(… the uprising Beginning …)
I AM/In heaven, oh, in heaven …
/Holy, holy, holy
Am light/Holy, holy, holy
Am life/Holy, holy, holy
Am light, am life/Are light, are life
in heaven/in heaven
AND ON EARTH./and on earth.
LET THERE BE LIGHT …
Let stars be spread in every sight,/Stars are spread in every sight,
and let the sun be shining bright./see, the sun is shining bright,
Let chaos darkness vanish. /chaos darkness vanish,
Let there be light./there is light.
LET THERE BE TIME …
Give sun and moon their switching light,/Sun and moon in switching light,
to warm the day and guard the night./warm the day and guard the night,
Let years be born unbounded./years are born unbounded,
Let there be time./there is time.
LET THERE BE LIFE
Let life, aboundant, fill the see,/Life, aboundant, fills the see,
the earth bring forth its plants to be,/earth is bringing plants to be,
may trees and meadows flourish./trees and meadows flourish.
The life of swarming bees and birds,/Life of swarming bees and birds
and all the creatures on the earth,/all the creatures on the earth,
I give to love and cherish./ gifts to love and cherish.
In promise of salvation./Promise of salvation,
LET THERE BE LIFE/there is life.
I AM THE FATHER
Am light …/Holy, holy, holy
Am life …/Holy, holy, holy
The Word …/ Holy, holy, holy
…
From Part II: THE WORD – Only Begotten Son – Saviour
St John: The words come to me,
the strongest, most precious, tender,
oh, let me tell the unspeakable,
describe the invisible
when still, the world is darkened.
If I only could
express the sacred untouchable
WORD
born before all time,
until the day had come. / Had come? For what?
The Word
wich is God, is life, is light
was incarnated on earth. / How could it be?
/How can Omnipotence be caught in time?
/How can the Creator be created?
Not created. / Who can believe such things?
The virgin shall bear a son.
Mary: I am the virgin,
who believed the impossible,
was filled / Oh, blessed Mary …
with Holy Spirit …/ Holy, holy, holy
/Holy, holy, holy
/Holy, holy, holy
… bore him,
gave him birth …/ Oh, Virgin Mary.
wrapped him in cloths, placed him in a manger.
The Saviour of the world
was named like a man,
Jesus Christ
/So tender on the earth!
/So pityful, defenseless!
/Behold, the swords of the soldiers!
/The power of the warriors!
/How they gather in fury!
/See, the power of darkness as it wells up
/from a bottomless depth.
Mary: See, how small he is,/ See, how small he is!
protected by angels./ What can he do?
The Light in our darkness./ Who can believe
Such a God/ such a God?
I can give my trust,
God with us.
St John: We saw and believed,
as he had grown up,
we saw his signs.
(… suffering, crucified, buried, resurrected …)
I AM
… am life
… am light
ALLMIGHTY
in heaven and on earth
life and death/ The keys are in his hands.
I AM
THE SON/ The Son of Man.
Who was,
who is/ Ascended into heaven.
and is to come.
I AM/ The right hand of the Father.
( … the judgement … choral)
From Part III: The SPIRIT – the church – credo
Come, all you who are thirsty!
Come to drink!
The well is overflowing,
rivers of living water.
Come, all you who are hungry!
Come to eat!
The fruit is aboundant on the trees,
the fields are ripe for harvest,
the bread fresh from the oven.
Come, where the well has its vein,
water turns into wine,
to the living bread.
/Flames from heaven,
St John: came into our prayers / in the prayers of the apostles,
Mary: came into our singing / the song of Mary (or Magnificat).
/So, the church is born,
/the split can be healed,
/courage get voice and words,
/all our fading flames
/flare up again,
/our praises ascend, so pure
/like when they were sung the first time,
/the gentle whisper
/of the first, untouched dawn.
/God … is … here.
I AM / You are
THE SPIRIT / Holy, holy, holy
Am light …/ Holy, holy, holy
Am life …/ Holy, holy, holy
ALLMIGHTY / Allmighty
(… the Church, eternal life …)
/Oh, Father, Son and Spirit,
/your breeze through space and time
/makes ending a beginning,
/the Word of sacred rhyme.
/The song that never ceases,
/you gave its tone and birth,
/eternal is your glory
/in heaven and on earth.
Amen / Amen.
© Text: Åsa Hagberg