If Ever There Is

“If Ever There Is” is a setting of “John’s Song,” by American poet Robert Creeley (1926-2005). The poem has a dedication to the poet John Taggart; the style of wordplay and repetition here can also be found in Taggart’s poetry. I hear it as a prayer for peace. In 1967 Creeley signed a “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest,” an ad in which over 500 vowed to protest the Vietnam War by refusing to pay a 10% war tax. “If Ever There Is,” is entirely derived from the opening melody, made up of seconds and thirds; these intervals are almost exclusively used as the work unfolds. In the first half of the piece, the choir works together, sounding an insistent plea. In the second half, the parts move more independently. We move from minor to major as the voices dream of a time when we can experience life without war. “If Ever There Is,” was a 2013 Essentially Choral selection & workshopped by VocalEssence, Philip Brunelle & Francisco Núñez.