"Farewell" was written as a tribute to my late mother, who lost her battle with cancer in August of 2022. I was in graduate school for Music Theory at the time, and was given an assignment to write a piece utilizing a very specific set of instruments. I requested that I may add voice and percussion to it, and to the piece to a poem that was speaking to my heart at the time, entitled "Farewell" by Anne Bronte.

The piece is scored for flute, clarinet, piano, one percussionist, violin, cello, and soprano voice.

The poem's text is included below.

Farewell to thee! but not farewell
To all my fondest thoughts of thee:
Within my heart they still shall dwell;
And they shall cheer and comfort me.
O, beautiful, and full of grace!
If thou hadst never met mine eye,
I had not dreamed a living face
Could fancied charms so far outvie.

If I may ne'er behold again
That form and face so dear to me,
Nor hear thy voice, still would I fain
Preserve, for aye, their memory.

That voice, the magic of whose tone
Can wake an echo in my breast,
Creating feelings that, alone,
Can make my tranced spirit blest.

That laughing eye, whose sunny beam
My memory would not cherish less; -
And oh, that smile! whose joyous gleam
Nor mortal language can express.

Adieu, but let me cherish, still,
The hope with which I cannot part.
Contempt may wound, and coldness chill,
But still it lingers in my heart.

And who can tell but Heaven, at last,
May answer all my thousand prayers,
And bid the future pay the past
With joy for anguish, smiles for tears?

Farewell

Spring Flowers is an a cappella treble choir piece completed in 2023. It is perfect for advanced high school students, college choirs, and professional choirs. This recording was created by Cantamus, a digital practice track creator app.

Farewell

Michael Chadwick

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