Ars Poetica
I have loved this poem for as long as I can remember. It’s crisp, fresh imagery, it’s success in conveying, with a magnificent economy, what a poem is all about, is indeed a small miracle.
I could not resist the temptation to set it for chorus. Because the poem had “gestated” for many years, I wrote it in one sitting on a late-summer afternoon. I can only hope that it does justice to this small masterpiece.
| Instrumentation: | A Cappella |
| Descriptive Tags: | Poetry |
| Language: | English |
| Voicing: | SATB |
| Sacred or Secular: | Secular |
| Duration: | 1-5 Minutes |
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| SATB | 6'30" | English | A Teasdale Triptych is a set of three miniatures. Each aims to crystallize the meaning of Sara Teasdale’s exquisite words and trace the journey on which the poems take the reader. The piece was commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists. It is dedicated to the singers of the group, and to their director, Magen Solomon. […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Teasdale Triptych is a set of three miniatures. Each aims to crystallize the meaning of Sara Teasdale’s exquisite words and trace the journey on which the poems take the reader. The piece was commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists. It is dedicated to the singers of the group, and to their director, Magen Solomon. […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 6' | English | This poignant setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti is dedicated to the memory of Michael Friedman, a dear friend, songwriter, lyricist, and composer, who died too young. The opening two notes (C#-D), at first soft and pensive, lengthen to a three-note motive (C#-D-F#) that is woven into the texture of the six-minute piece, a […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This poignant setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti is dedicated to the memory of Michael Friedman, a dear friend, songwriter, lyricist, and composer, who died too young. The opening two notes (C#-D), at first soft and pensive, lengthen to a three-note motive (C#-D-F#) that is woven into the texture of the six-minute piece, a […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSA | 2' | English | This short SSA piece was written for the University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club. It is an unaccompanied 3-part setting of the poem by the English poet, Robert Herrick. Jaclyn Johnson, Interim Director of the Glee Club said, “This is a WONDERFUL piece! I love that you have composed in an older polyphonic style to match […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This short SSA piece was written for the University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club. It is an unaccompanied 3-part setting of the poem by the English poet, Robert Herrick. Jaclyn Johnson, Interim Director of the Glee Club said, “This is a WONDERFUL piece! I love that you have composed in an older polyphonic style to match […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| This setting of the Gloria text in English is excerpted from a longer Anglican communion/mass service — Communion Service in D — also published on Swirly (including settings of the Hosanna, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei). The Gloria is a simple, tuneful arrangement that can be performed as a general-purpose anthem or during the Christmas season. […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | – | English | This hauntingly, simple tune is one of the finest melodies ever written- to spring forth from such pain and sorrow. The immense power of faith and determination are imbued in every line of this gorgeous hymn, promising a better tomorrow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This hauntingly, simple tune is one of the finest melodies ever written- to spring forth from such pain and sorrow. The immense power of faith and determination are imbued in every line of this gorgeous hymn, promising a better tomorrow. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| This is a simple a cappella setting of William Blake’s poem, ‘Little Lamb, who made thee?’ The two verses are set for SATB, with an optional soprano solo at the beginning. It was written for Sutton Coldfield Chamber Choir, but is suitable for a group of any size, from quartet upwards! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSA | 2'30" | English | Steven Paxton’s RAINDROP SONG is a setting of a whimsical poem by Texas poet Chris Willerton, about a talking raindrop. This short, delightful work for treble choir requires a good pianist, and includes short spoken segments for individual speaker as well as full choir. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Steven Paxton’s RAINDROP SONG is a setting of a whimsical poem by Texas poet Chris Willerton, about a talking raindrop. This short, delightful work for treble choir requires a good pianist, and includes short spoken segments for individual speaker as well as full choir. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3'00" | English | I was composer-in-residence with International Orange Chorale in San Francisco in 2020, when the world shut down and all of life, it seemed, moved online to this video conferencing thingy called Zoom. Like everyone else, I was trying to figure out how this platform worked, how life was going to go from now on, and […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I was composer-in-residence with International Orange Chorale in San Francisco in 2020, when the world shut down and all of life, it seemed, moved online to this video conferencing thingy called Zoom. Like everyone else, I was trying to figure out how this platform worked, how life was going to go from now on, and […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||