This poem invokes the sun to linger awhile longer before the world must face the cold and dark of winter. The composer chose a four-note motif as the basis of setting this poem to music. The opening words of the poem use this motif as do several other lines. The four notes even appear at the beginning and the end of the piece in widely separated ranges. As the poet muses on the “few sunny days,” the music becomes less somber and with a happier tone. Yet winter is truly coming and cannot be long delayed so the dark and gloomy mood returns.
This poem of Anne Boleyn was obviously written in the Tower of London as she awaited her eventual execution. In this work the soprano is Anne Boleyn; the violin, Death. The melodies and harmonies are modal, starting with Dorian and moving through the darker modes until the final stanza is in Locrian. Death as portrayed by the violin is at times sensuous; other times, menacing. Anne’s moods range from a defiant declaration of her innocence to a joyous thought of past pleasures to a gradual acceptance of the coming of death.
The three-note theme which the voice announces, “Sing, O sing,” is the basis for most of the “Praise” section. Also featured is the Hebrew word, “Teruah,” a shout of joy, used in much the same way as the more familiar “Hallelujah.” The final shorter “Hope” section is based on a Hebrew chant used with Psalms. The harmonies are mostly quartal. Only at the end with the last repeating of “our hope in Thee,” do we hear a resolution to a final major chord with a soft high sounding of the original three-note motif.
This work in its entirety is intended for a concert or recital program. However, certain sections can be excerpted for use in a church service. Listed below are inclusive measure numbers for these sections. Also indicated are suggested uses in the service.
Praise Solo: Measures 10-80 (for an ending repeat measures 69 and 70)
Meditative Solo: Measures 83-126.
Call to Prayer: Measures 231-246 (first half of the measure)
Benediction: Measures 246-end
The first and last of these love songs based on poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning are especially related to the courtship and marriage of Elizabeth and Robert Browning. The middle song is a setting of three of the five stanzas of a poem entitled “A Woman’s Shortcomings.” In “How Do I Love Thee?” the dominant interval is the augmented fourth that occurs in some form each time the words, “I love thee,” are sung. The motif of “let me count the ways” is heard from time to time and returns strongly at the end with the phrase, “better after death.” The melodic line seeks to “paint” the words of each phrase. The waltz was the most popular dance of the 19th century. It seemed fitting to select that form for the second poem, a portion of which hints at a dance scene. The contrast of “Life” and “Love” in the final poem is brought out through a descending line in a somber mode picturing the cold stillness of “Life” and an ascending line in a bright mode picturing the warmth and joy of “Love.”
How Do I Love Thee (excerpt)
Never Call It Loving (excerpt)
Life and Love (excerpt)
The first song entitled, O See this Miracle of God, is a paraphrase of Luke 1:46-55 known from the Latin as the Magnificat with additional words by the composer. The second song, entitled, Carmen deo nostro, is based on the poetry of Richard Crashaw (about 1610-1650).
O See This Miracle of God (excerpt)
Carmen Deo Nostro (excerpt)
This new collection also contains songs in traditional, contemporary Christian, and gospel styles. Indices included, in addition to the Table of Contents, are alphabetical, topical and Scriptural. There is also a page showing the range of each of the songs.
The work opens with a type of fanfare, which leads to a simple statement of the tune accompanied at times by a bagpipe-like figure and at times by sevenths. Descending scales lead to an ostinato pattern, which forms a background to the second occurrence of the melody, which is heard on an 8’ stop in the pedal. The music segues into the first phrase of the tune now in 4/4 time. The phrase, which is repeated in sequence, modulates to the bright key of A major where the entire melody is heard with a chordal accompaniment. The work closes with a return of the opening fanfare in an extended presentation, which climaxes with fortissimo chords against fifths in the pedal.
This work was commissioned by the Iowa Composers Forum through the Marilynn Etzel Piano Commission.
From the “depths” of crashing diminished octaves rise four chords from which most of the composition is derived. A continuous rise and fall of a melodic line with emphasis on fourths is constantly interrupted by the low diminished octaves and permutations of the four chords eventually leading to a repeated bass pattern and ascending melodies. An extended version of the four chords is heard in retrograde leading to the middle section. The much slower middle section has the “feel” of a waltz even though the time signatures are 7/8 and 5/8. Essentially lyrical in character the melodies here are interrupted from time to time by the “growling” repeated bass pattern. As the “waltzes” continue, the bass pattern comes more frequently and gets longer until it takes over completely leading back into a shortened version of the opening section. The work closes as it opened with the crashing diminished octaves and four chords.