Variations on “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

The Composer writes:

The 28th flight of Columbia was the first shuttle mission of 2003 and the 113th flight in Nasa’s Space Shuttle program.  Seven astronauts perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over central Texas as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.  As I listened to the beginning of the memorial service on NPR that that commenced  with the hymn, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  This sentiment was my inspiration to write this piece.  The variations are a metaphore that celebrate and honor the lives of these courageous and extraordinary people.  

Near the end of the flight, on January 29th, 2003, William McCool had these words about the unique view of Earth:

“From our orbital vantage point, we observe an Earth without borders, full of peace, beauty and magnificence, and we pray that humanity as a whole can iomagine a borderless world as we see it, and strive to live as one in peace.”

William McCool, 2003