05 Sleep Grandmother

06 He cut one finger

Poem of Emily Dickinson.  Sung by Vivace Youth Chorus, under Peggy Spool.  From the collection EMILY'S DAY, published by Hal Leonard.

I'm nobody!

Sung by Vivace Youth Chorus, under Peggy Spool.  From Emily's Day, a cycle of six Emily Dickinson poems for children's voices.

The cricket sang, 
  And set the sun, 
And workmen finished, one by one, 
   Their seam the day upon. 

The low grass loaded with the dew, 
The twilight stood as strangers do 
With hat in hand, polite and new, 
  To stay as if, or go. 

A vastness, as a neighbor, came,—
A wisdom without face or name, 
A peace, as hemispheres at home,—
   And so the night became.

The cricket sang

Poem of e e cummings.   The San Francisco Choral Artists, led by Magen Solomon.  Written while I was composer in residence.

in Just- 
spring          when the world is mud- 
luscious the little 
lame balloonman 

whistles          far          and wee 

and eddieandbill come 
running from marbles and 
piracies and it's 
spring 

when the world is puddle-wonderful 

the queer 
old balloonman whistles 
far          and             wee 
and bettyandisbel come dancing 

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and 

it's 
spring 
and 

         the 

                  goat-footed 

balloonMan          whistles 
far 
and 
wee

In just-

Schola Cantorum under Gregory Wait with Brass Act

03. Wayfaring Stranger

Wayfaring Stranger

Schola Cantorum under Gregory Wait, with Brass Act

04. The Big Rock Candy Mountain

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Schola Cantorum under Gregory Wait, with Brass Act

Sorry for the distortion in the recording.

1. Introit

What Inn is this
Where for the night
Peculiar Traveler comes?
Who is the Landlord?
Where are the maids?
Behold, what curious rooms!

No ruddy fires on the hearth –
No brimming tankards flow –
Necromancer! Landlord!
Who are these below? 

Requiem aeternam dona eis, domine: 
(Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord)
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
(and let perpetual light shine on them.)

Te decet hymnus Deus in Zion,
(A hymn befits thee, O God in Zion)
et tibi redetur
(And to thee a vow shall be fulfilled)
votum in Jerusalem.
(in Jerusalem.)

Exaudi orationem meam,
(Hear my prayer,)
ad te omnis caro veniet.
(for unto thee all flesh shall come.)

Safe in their Alabaster Chambers–
Untouched by Morning–And untouched by Noon–
Sleep the meek members of the Resurrection–
Rafter of satin–and roof of stone.

Grand go the Years–in the Crescent–above them–
Worlds scoop their Arcs–And Firmaments–row–
Diadems–drop–and Doges–surrender–
Soundless as dots–on a Disk of Snow–

Requiem aeternam....

AmherstTrack 01

40TH

Nights grew long and snow came falling,
Deep and bitter cold it lay
Till the year was done and dying
Frozen on the shortest day.

Sudden fires leapt on the hillside
Flaring in the starless night;
High above them voices singing,
Singing, calling back the night.

All night long we sang beseeching
Time to turn its wheel around,
Wakening the green abundance
Buried in the sleeping ground.

When the daybreak came next morning,
Heralding the turning year,
Joy came falling bright as sunlight,
Freeing every heart from fear.

So we sing that in this season,
Hope may drive despair away,
New life springing out of darkness,
Born again this shortest day.

SOLSTICE by Susan Cooper

The Shortest Day

Brian Holmes 6

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