"Peace I Leave With You" was written on the evening of March 27th, 2014, dedicated to Hannah Metzler.

This piece was written in Hannah's memory, for her family, friends, and for anyone who desires a space for meditation, reflection, comfort, or peace. Performed by the 2013/2014 Fairport High School Polyphonic Mixed Choir of Fairport, NY, under the direction of Dr. Jim Jefferis.  ©2014

John 14:27 KJV

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

For inquiries regarding the use of this piece or the use of the score, please contact me directly via email, Facebook, or SoundCloud.

Peace I Leave With You - for SATB divisi (2014)

Performed by the Fairport High School Polyphonic Choir, June 1st, 2015 under the direction of Dr. Jim Jefferis.

I wrote "Weep You No More" over the course of about 9 months, constantly revising and editing. I felt so drawn to this text immediately (author anonymous, 15th century) as it spoke of peace, reassurance, and calmness- and in fact I wrote the opening section in under half an hour, as it seemed to flow so effortlessly. The text is as follows:

"Weep you no more, sad fountains; 
What need you flow so fast? 
Look how the snowy mountains 
Heav'n's sun doth gently waste. 
But my sun's heav'nly eyes 
View not your weeping 
That now lies sleeping, 
Softly, softly, now softly lies sleeping. 

Sleep is a reconciling, 
A rest that Peace begets. 
Doth not the sun rise smiling 
When fair at e'en he sets 
Rest you then, rest, sad eyes, 
Melt not in weeping 
While she lies sleeping, 
Softly, softly, now softly lies sleeping."

For inquiries regarding the use of this piece or the use of the score, please contact me directly via email, Facebook, or SoundCloud.

Weep You No More - for SATB divisi (2014)

Performed by the Fairport High School Concert Band on May 13th, 2015. This performance conducted by myself.

This piece came about in a funny way...It is the culmination of a failed choral piece, an afternoon of writing around a very simple folk-esq melody, and another little segment that always stood alone until I was able to stitch everything together to form this piece. The title comes from a poem by Sophie Hensley which is titled "Shadow Song". Which goes as follows:

"The night is long
And there are no stars, - 
Let me but dream
That the long fields gleam
With sunlight and song,
Then I shall not long
For the light of stars.

Let me but dream, - 
For there are no stars, - 
Dream that the ache
And the wild heart-break
Are but things that seem.
Ah! let me dream
For there are no stars."

It is in B major (which is absolute hell for any musician), but I am confident that the color I was looking for was achieved. I was very honored to conduct this piece on it's premier (which happens to be this recording).

For inquiries regarding the use of this piece or the use of the score, or for request of the Bb version of this piece, please contact me directly via email, Facebook, or SoundCloud.

Shadow Song - for Wind Ensemble (2015)

A slightly different style than what I normally produce but I love this kind of sound and vibe. I started making this in September of last year, and put it off until a few weeks ago when I cranked out the rest in one night. Enjoy!

A quick little track...

My piece "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" for Women's Choir and piano. Performed live on November 2nd, 2015 by the Fairport Polyphonic Women's Chorale of Fairport, NY. Conducted by Tara Switzer, accompaniment played by myself.

Text by Christopher Marlowe:
Come live with me and be my Love,	 
And we will all the pleasures prove	 
That hills and valleys, dale and field,	 
And all the craggy mountains yield.	 
  
There will we sit upon the rocks	         5
And see the shepherds feed their flocks,	 
By shallow rivers, to whose falls	 
Melodious birds sing madrigals.	 
  
There will I make thee beds of roses	 
And a thousand fragrant posies,	  10
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle	 
Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle.	 
  
A gown made of the finest wool	 
Which from our pretty lambs we pull,	 
Fair linèd slippers for the cold,	  15
With buckles of the purest gold.	 
  
A belt of straw and ivy buds	 
With coral clasps and amber studs:	 
And if these pleasures may thee move,	 
Come live with me and be my Love.	  20
  
Thy silver dishes for thy meat	 
As precious as the gods do eat,	 
Shall on an ivory table be	 
Prepared each day for thee and me.	 
  
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing	  25
For thy delight each May-morning:	 
If these delights thy mind may move,	 
Then live with me and be my Love.	 
 
For inquiries regarding the use of this piece or the use of the score, please contact me directly via email, Facebook, or SoundCloud.

The Passionate Shepherd To His Love - for SSAA and piano (2015)

"Dimensions" written by myself, performed by the Fairport High School Day Jazz Ensemble of Fairport, NY, (myself on keys), under the direction of Bill Tiberio, recorded by Ed McClive.

This piece was written in a time of my life that was constantly changing. To the point that the present felt strange- almost out of place or unfamiliar. I feel the layering of the many themes that make up this piece represent the aspects that created this odd phenomenon in my life. In a time where leaving for college was slowly growing sooner and sooner as well, I found myself becoming more and more nostalgic. The main melody of this piece I feels captures this spirit of happy remembrance of the past.

Enjoy, and for any inquiries about use of the score/mp3, please contact me directly. Thank you!

Dimensions - for Jazz Ensemble (2015)

The premier performance of my setting of select verses from Psalm 139 (NIV), "I Am Still With You".

Performed by the 2016-2017 St. Olaf Viking Chorus on April 29th, 2017. Jonathan Thomas Madden, conductor.

The text for this piece was found mere days after the results of the 2017 election. The country was in the midst of a divide, and the overall climate not only around the world, but here on campus was tense.

I discovered Psalm 139 and immediately found it to be incredibly comforting- knowing that no matter how far you may feel you are heading off track, or despite attempts to surround yourself with darkness in order to escape from the horrors that life presents you with, God will be at your side. You cannot flee from his presence, the night will not overshadow you.

Campus climate became even more tense as racial issues climaxed the weekend of this premier. I found it even more inspiring to reflect back on the chant section of the piece (the very ending). "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well". God has created us each individually, perfectly, and in his marvelous image. In that we should find comfort, unity, joy, and peace.

Audio Courtesy St. Olaf College. Used by Permission.

I Am Still With You - for TTBB (2017)

The St. Olaf Chapel Choir performing "in love." written by Jonathan Thomas Madden ('20) with text by Madeline Miller ('20). 
Piano: Jonathan Thomas Madden

On learning the news that our fabulous director, Mark Stover, would be leaving St. Olaf College to pursue a position at the University of Michigan, the St. Olaf Chapel Choir surprised him with this piece of music dedicated to him. We are all so grateful for the lasting impact Mr. Stover has had on our time at St. Olaf, and we hope this reflects our gratitude towards him. On a personal note, I am deeply indebted to this group for their dedication to learning this piece in such a short time!

For score inquiries:
jt.madden@icloud.com

Text by Madeline Miller:

Not all separation is death.
We are woven together like 
bird feathers,
branches in black lace against the setting sky,
and space is what gives us 
pattern, narrative, 
beauty.
If I could reach you, there would be no story--
no kneading in this human bread,
no rising from our clinging.
We need silence for our singing,
void to breathe love into like
our master-poet God,
who knows 
this distance through 
His foreign flesh.
Blink out these hot 
tea tears 
steeped deep inside!
Exhale into the seasoned earth that
lives its constant change:
I will stay my pattern like the sea
and trust this world that holds us all
in love.

in love. - for SATB divisi and piano (2018)

The St. Olaf Chamber Singers performing my arrangement of the Irish folk tune, "The Last Rose of Summer" in Boe Memorial Chapel at St. Olaf College. 

Therees Tkach Hibbard, director.
Ian Schipper (baritone) and Eli Baumgartner (countertenor), soloists.

Melody attributed to Sir John Stevenson and text by Thomas Moore.

For inquiries about the use of the score: jt.madden@icloud.com

'Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
Or give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
And from Love's shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered,
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

©2018 Jonathan Thomas Madden

The Last Rose of Summer - for SATB divisi (2018)

Audio Courtesy St. Olaf College. Used By Permission.

The St. Olaf Manitou Singers performing "The Lord is My Light" by Jonathan Thomas Madden ('20), under the direction of Therees Tkach Hibbard. Garrett M. Bond ('19), piano.

For inquiries regarding use of the score, please contact:
jt.madden@icloud.com

Text: Verses from Psalm 27, KJV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

I will sing praises unto the Lord.

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

The Lord is My Light - for SSAA and piano (2017/2018)

The St. Olaf Philharmonia, under the direction of Steven Amundson, performing the world premiere of my original work "SPIRIT" for full orchestra.

The meaning for this piece seemed to be the result of actually writing it. Many of the core elements and thematic material for SPIRIT have been meandering around in my manuscript paper notebooks since approximately 2015, with the newest material for the work having been written as recently as December of 2018. In its most primitive state, the piece was a string quartet, but I allowed myself to have the patience to let the piece grow organically. It was only recently that it blossomed into my first original work for full orchestra. After experiencing this music’s evolution into the work you will hear today, I am filled with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. This fulfillment fostered (and continues to foster) a kind of joy that derives from the feeling of accomplishment. It is this joy that I believe to be at the very heart of SPIRIT.

For score inquires, please contact: jt.madden@icloud.com

Music: © 2019 Jonathan Thomas Madden ('20)
Audio Courtesy St. Olaf College. Used By Permission.

SPIRIT - for full orchestra (2019)

Composer || Conductor || Pianist || Organist || Cowbell Enthusiast || Melodica Virtuoso || Supporter of homeostasis everywhere || St. Olaf '20


Contact: jt.madden@icloud.com  , or you can message me here on SoundCloud, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Thomas Madden

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