Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures
I. The Bees’ Song
II. A noiseless, patient spider
III. Envoi
Winner of the Univ. of Minnesota's Craig and Janet Swan Composer Prize
Finalist for the Young New Yorkers' Chorus Young Composer Competition
Voicing: SSAATTBB a cappella, soprano soloText: Walter de la Mare, Walt Whitman, Charles Swinburne
Duration: 12 min.
Premiere: Mvts I & II: Young New Yorkers Chorus, New York, NY - June 2, 2005
Full premiere: University of Minnesota Chamber Singers - March 26, 2006
See the score: PREVIEW THE SCORE (pdf)
Published by: Self-published, AB-035-01
Order now: Online order form
LISTEN:
Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom (2005-6) I. The Bees’ SongII. A noiseless, patient spiderIII. Envoi |
mp3, 3:37, 2.1 MB mp3, 3:00, 2.7 MB mp3, 3:13, 3.0 MB |
Performed by the University of Minnesota Chamber Singers. Kathy Romey, conductor.
PROGRAM NOTE:
Hans Christian Andersen once wrote (in the voice of a butterfly): “Just living is not enough… One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures comprises three tone-poems for mixed a cappella chorus, each a character study on a small creature from the natural world.
The first, entitled The Bees’ Song, takes its silly text from British poet Walter de la Mare, who included no less than 33 Z’s in his poem of the same name. This musical setting highlights those Z sounds, as each part buzzes around looking for a nice cadence to land on.
The second movement, which takes its title and text from Walt Whitman’s A noiseless patient spider, compares the questing soul to that of a spider able to know her position in the world by launching and trusting her web. Set for eight-part chorus, the piece begins with each of the voice parts representing a leg of the solitary spider as she walks slowly to the edge of the promontory. Suddenly she “launches forth filament” and the voices begin the process of weaving a web of their own.
Movement three, Envoi, uses Charles Swinburne’s simple text to illustrate the flocking and migrating of a mass of butterflies. The nonsense syllables seek to propel the piece while providing a subtle flapping of tiny wings, as if the singers are suddenly there in the thick of the migration.
The first two movements of Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures placed as a finalist in the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus Young Composers Competition and were premiered on June 2, 2005 in New York, NY under the direction of Nathan Davis. In May 2005 the piece received the Craig and Janet Swan Composer Prize from the University of Minnesota, and was premiered in full by the University of Minnesota Chamber Choir under the direction of Kathy Romey on March 26, 2006 at the St. Paul Cathedral, St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Abbie Betinis, 2006
Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures
I. The Bees’ Song
Thousandz of thornz there be
On the Rozez where gozez
The Zebra of Zee (etc)
- Walter de la Mare (1873-1953)
II. A noiseless patient spider
A noiseless patient spider,
I mark'd, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark'd how, to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them – ever tirelessly speeding them.
And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing – seeking the spheres, to connect them;
Till the bridge you will need, be form'd – till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.
- Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
III. Envoi
Fly, white butterflies, out to sea,
Frail, pale wings for the wind to try,
Small white wings that we scarce can see,
Fly!
Some fly light as a laugh of glee,
Some fly soft as a long, low sigh;
All to the haven where each would be.
Fly!
- Charles Swinburne (1837-1909)
These texts -- to the best of my knowledge -- are in the public domain, and may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
I. The Bees’ Song
Thousandz of thornz there be
On the Rozez where gozez
The Zebra of Zee (etc)
- Walter de la Mare (1873-1953)II. A noiseless patient spider
A noiseless patient spider,
I mark'd, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark'd how, to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them – ever tirelessly speeding them.
And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing – seeking the spheres, to connect them;
Till the bridge you will need, be form'd – till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.
- Walt Whitman (1819–1892) III. Envoi
Fly, white butterflies, out to sea,
Frail, pale wings for the wind to try,
Small white wings that we scarce can see,
Fly!
Some fly light as a laugh of glee,
Some fly soft as a long, low sigh;
All to the haven where each would be.
Fly!
- Charles Swinburne (1837-1909)These texts -- to the best of my knowledge -- are in the public domain, and may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
Performed by:
University of Minnesota Chamber Singers (Kathy Romey, conductor)
Young New Yorkers Chorus (Nathan Davis, conductor)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)Young New Yorkers Chorus (Nathan Davis, conductor)