Benjamin - A Girl in Persia

Musical number	Source from the book	Contents
1	Esther 1:1-12	Feast of Persia – Opening number to introduce the setting and the grandeur of Persia and Media and its 127 lands, and also setting up Queen Vashti’s refusal of the king’s command.
2	Esther 1:13-22	7 princes of Persia try to calm down and advise the king to get rid of Queen Vashti to send a message to the whole country, and introduce the idea of finding a new queen.
3	Esther 2:1-4	After some time, the king has really calmed down but there’s still no queen. So his servants remind him to go ahead with gathering young women to the palace in order to select a new queen. During the gathering process, some of the women will either love or hate this edict and will sing some lines.
4	Esther 2:8	Hegai, the eunuch, gives orientation to the women of whom he’s now in charge of. Maybe some of the women has a dispute with him and Esther defends him in an indirect way, thus starts to win Hegai’s favour, perhaps? This is Esther’s introduction and at the end of the song, Hegai asks what her name is, and she replies “Esther”, and lights out and audience applause! Haha.
5	Esther 2:9-11	New scene to introduce Mordecai, singing his thoughts and worries out. He also checks on Esther and Esther perhaps tells Mordecai about her first-class treatments from Hegai? Maybe… still thinking how to convey that Esther received first class treatments… It’s either this, or from Hegai, or from Esther’s female servants that Hegai bestowed on her.

Also, enjoy this “before and after” of the opening number composition!

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Writing Esther 2:1-4 Into a Musical

June 30, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: someone that you will love

So here’s a draft of the lyrics which will be sung in “sing talk”… you know like how some portions of Les Miserables have a “sing talk” melody, where it’s not really a song, but sung-through dialog without chorus or verse? This is going to be one of them! It’s a little challenging figuring out the melody, but anyhow, here are the lyrics:

King, we have a word for you
Rest assured we’ll see it through
It seems, the throne’s in need of someone,
a better queen to come in view

Let there be young virgins,
beautiful and pure,
and let the one that pleases you
be forever yours.

My king, appoint each man
to gather hand-in-hand
the situation’s urgent
to gather virgins
from each and every state in the land

And place them in your fortress
into the women’s quarters.
We know who will take good care of them

(Hegai)

And there will they be purified
And there will they be beautified
And then will they be qualified

to enter into your eyes!

Also, enjoy a recent Instagram post of a new lyric design from the previous song!

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New Mix of Opening Line from Opening Number!

June 25, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: feast of persia

Check it out below…

Welcome all people to the feast
From all the greatest to the least
The banquet’s open now to all Shushan
For 7 days, you’ll feel just oh so grand!

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Updates on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd musical numbers

June 23, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: feast of persia song: sage advice song: someone that you will love

Updates – 3rd musical number

Had a good live songwriting session today; the 13th one we’ve done! Started writing the 3rd musical number and here are the draft lyrics:

SERVANTS:
King, we have a word for you
Rest assured we’ll see it through
It seems, the throne’s in need of someone,
a better queen to come in view

Let there be young virgins,
beautiful and pure,
and let the one that pleases you
be forever yours.

Updates – 2nd musical number

2nd musical number is almost done being written… looking forward to recording the demo really soon!

Finalizing the melody for the “better than she” part that will be used in both the 2nd and 3rd numbers… There are two choices for the melody… let’s see which one ends up being the one!

Updates – Opening musical number

Check out a flute clip for the Opening Number “Feast of Persia”

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And also the trumpet solo for it as well!

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Finalizing the next version of the Opening Number for a screening this Saturday with other musical theatre composers, so praying it will go smoothly!

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Draft lyrics of “better than she”

June 16, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: sage advice song: someone that you will love

Nailed the melody for the “better than she” part (which foreshadows Esther) and it fits into the maqam scale perfectly! Managed to write draft lyrics to it which I’m really happy about. Can’t wait to record the demo soon! Meanwhile, here are the draft lyrics, which foreshadows Esther 2:15.

Someone better than she
Someone sweet with humility
Someone people will see and say, she’s a graceful delight!
Someone kind in her words
Someone gentle just like a bird
Someone that you will love above any other in sight.
ALTERNATIVE OPTION:
Someone better than best (because Vashti means “excellent” or “the best”)
Shining brighter than all the rest (because Esther means “star”)
Someone people will see and say, she’s a glorious sight!

By the way, enjoy this recent posting of the percussion audio visualization!

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Updates: Trumpets, Songwriting and Design

June 15, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: feast of persia song: sage decree song: someone that you will love

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Flute & percussion added to the opening number! Listen here.

June 11, 2021 by Benjamin | Leave a Comment

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song: feast of persia

Wow… Amazed by the arrangements and musicianship of the percussionist and bansuri flute player! Without further ado, here is the new demo!

biblethemusical · Feast of Persia (10 June 2021 Demo) – Percussion & Flute Added

The flutist actually recorded two tracks, giving me the option to pick and choose which parts are suitable, but since there are very few instruments at this point, I just included both the flute tracks; one on the left channel and one on the right channel.

The percussionist turned out to be able to play multiple percussion instruments, and these were what he added!