Luminous Night

Richard Crashaw (d. 1649) was an English poet, university professor, and cleric. His poetry is strong in religious belief and encourages the highest standards for humanity, while not being condescending or harsh in delivery. Crashaw's poetry has an ardent devotion to women and gender perception. After his mother died in his infancy, he was raised by his stepmother whom he dearly loved and who had a deep influence on his writing. Religious oppression in England caused him to relocate to France and Italy for the last years of his life. His poetry is full of flamboyant imagery with a blend of emotion and intellect.

Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He is the artistic director of two international music festivals, is an honorary board member the National Association of Italian Choral Directors and has conducted in 25 countries. His composition teachers were Cecil Effinger and Normand Lockwood, both students of the French music teacher Nadia Boulanger (student of Gabriel Fauré). Randall has over 200 published works, has conducted at Carnegie Hall over 50 times, and has led music for mass at the Vatican on 12 occasions. His music can be heard on Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms, including his website - www.zrstroope.com. Randall resides in his home / studio near Santa Fe, New Mexico and on Merrit Island, Florida.