Simple Songs (soprano and piano) (1991)

Kernis' luminous setting of texts from the Book of Psalms, the 12-century abbess Hildegard von Bingen, Ryokan (a Japanese Zen master), and Rumi, the Sufi poet, form a striking, majestically orchestrated song cycle for high voice and orchestra. The essence of each is religious in aspect and Kernis aptly communicates this with music of deep feeling and intensity.