Program Notes

American composer, conductor, and choral clinician Elaine Hagenberg won one of the most distinguished composing awards in 2020 — the American Choral Directors Association Brock Award.

Hagenberg’s website notes that her music is performed worldwide: “throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.” She began writing “The Music of Stillness” on a cold autumn night. “The sharp cold air and stars above” provided the perfect gentle compliment to Sara Teasdale’s poem “There Will Be Rest” with its images of “roof-tops crowned with snow…I shall find the crystal of peace.”

But there is a haunting aspect to this text in retrospect. It is the last poem Teasdale wrote. Such lyrics as “There will be rest,” “I shall find the crystal of peace,” and “the music of stillness holy and low” can assume a different color for us, as she died in January 1933 shortly after finishing it.

Text: Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising
Out of a dream in my lonely mind.
I shall find the crystal of peace, – above me
Stars I shall find.

With an entire concert repertory chosen for its beauty – one aspect of its title Holding Wonder – “The Angel” is perhaps the most lovely of all. It begins and ends with similarly soft and gentle music, without chromaticism. But in the remarkable middle section, the gifted Swiss composer Ivo Antognini shows the wonderful harmonic richness of his jazz background. “The Angel” appears in a dream to guard this young maiden, but leaves by the dawn. When it reappears later in another dream, it is in vain: “the time of youth has fled with grey hairs on my head.” For this now fully mature adult, it’s just a dream.

Text: William Blake (1757 – 1827)

I dreamt a dream!  What can it mean?
And that I was a maiden Queen
Guarded by an Angel mild:
Witless woe was ne’er beguiled!

And I wept both night and day,
And he wiped my tears away;
And I wept both day and night,
And hid from him my heart’s delight.

So he took his wings, and fled;
Then the morn blushed rosy red.
I dried my tears, and armed my fears
With ten thousand shields and spears.

Soon my Angel came again;
I was armed, he came in vain;
For the time of youth was fled,
And grey hairs were on my head.

Brahms had already written impressive choral works with orchestral accompaniment by 1870: A German Requiem, the Alto Rhapsody, Schicksalied, and Triumphlied. In the 1870s, however, he focused almost exclusively on chamber and orchestral music.  Nänie, in 1881, constituted his first return to vocal music in nine years. The sources of this funeral lament for his friend (the painter Anselm Feuerbach) drew exclusively on neo-classical style. Feuerbach specialized in neo-classical paintings of Greek mythology and Italian literature. As a composer, Brahms tempered later 19th-century Romanticism with his preference for the formal heritage of the great classical composers Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, as well as Bach. The text by Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805), one of Germany’s foremost classical playwrights and poets, drew on the Greek tradition of funeral laments.  

Brahms had met Feuerbach in 1873, felt his paintings were under-appreciated, and was deeply moved by the artist’s death in 1880. The text comprises an evocation of Greek mythology. “Euridice, Adonis, and Achilles…were all examples of youth and beauty taken too early” (public domain), and it also references Zeus, Aphrodite, and Hades. It is “a dirge at once tragic and serene” (Brahms biographer Jan Swafford). The choir takes some of the beautiful motives from the orchestral introduction in their opening passage, mourning the youthful loss. The middle section focuses on the gods weeping for that loss. The ending returns to the earlier music in a spirit of consolation: “Even a lament is glorious; at least you are not forgotten and unsung.” Swafford writes, “Maybe no one but Brahms, with his unshakable reserve masking a feeling soul, could have set ‘Even the beautiful must die’ to a gently lilting soprano melody.”

It is ironic that this is the most demanding and challenging choral work on today’s program. Ironic, because “Of all the major composers in the history of music, Brahms is perhaps the only one to distinguish himself as a choral conductor” (musicologist Leon Botstein). Brahms was a beloved choral director in both his native Hamburg and Vienna.

Text: Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805)

The beautiful, too, must die! That which subjugates men and gods
does not stir the brazen heart of the stygian Zeus.
Only once did love melt the Lord of Shadows,
and just at the threshhold, he strictly yanked back his gift.
Aphrodite does not heal the beautiful boy’s wound,
which the boar ripped cruelly in that delicate body.
Neither does the immortal mother save the divine hero
when, falling at the Scaean Gate, he fulfills his fate.
She ascends from the sea with all the daughters of Nereus,
and lifts up a lament for her glorious son.
Behold! the gods weep; all the goddesses weep,
that the beautiful perish, that perfection dies.
But to be a dirge on the lips of loved ones can be a marvellous thing; 
for that which is common goes down to Orcus in silence.

Sara Teasdale won the first Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her 1917 collection of poems titled Love Songs. Included in that collection was a poem called “Barter” and its first line is: “Life has loveliness to sell.”

Seek loveliness: “Buy it and never count the cost.”  Composer-in-residence Jodi French wonderfully highlights Teasdale’s central message – and especially so at the end. She creates a breathtaking final modulation to F# Major to reinforce the importance of this among all else the world offers: “Give all you have been or could be” (for that loveliness).

Text: Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up
Holding wonder in a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstacy
Give all you have been, or could be.

In the mid-19th century, American arctic explorer Charles Hall was below decks when the captain yelled, “Come up! The world is on fire!” They were sailing under the Northern Lights of the Aurora Borealis, and Hall’s diaries provide the English text for this remarkable setting by the internationally celebrated Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. He has written award-winning a cappella choral music, but he’s also known for some remarkable accompaniments – women whistling, men’s exaggerated breathing, etc. And he begins and ends this choral piece the piece with two special effects. Both passages feature a soloist singing a Latvian folk song accompanied by tuned wine glasses, producing a gentle, almost haunting atmosphere. The choir takes over in the dramatic middle section, with Hall’s text depicting the overwhelming power and brightness of the lights. The gentle folk song and the striking wine glass atmospherics return to end Ešenvalds’ marvelous setting.         

Text: Charles Francis Hall (1821–1871) and Fridtjof Nansen (1861–1930)

(How many nights against the North wind
I saw the Northern Lights fighting;
Fighting in the sky, the Northern Lights
Bring wars to our land.)

It was night, and I had gone on deck several times
Iceberg was silent; I too was silent
It was true dark and cold
At nine o’clock I was below in my cabin
When the captain hailed me with the words:
“Come above, Hall, at once! The world is on fire!”
I knew his meaning, and, quick as thought
I rushed to the companion stairs
In a moment I reached the deck
And as the cabin door swung open
A dazzling light, overpow’ring light burst upon my startled senses!

Oh, the whole sky was one glowing mass of colored flames, so mighty, so brave!
Like a pathway of light the northern lights seemed to draw us into the sky
Yes, it was harp-music, wild storming in the darkness;
The strings trembled and sparkled in the glow of the flames
Like a shower of fiery darts
A fiery crown of auroral light cast a warm glow across the arctic ice
Again at times it was like softly playing, gently rocking silvery waves
On which dreams travel into unknown worlds

The term “nocturne” began appearing in the 18th century, and such pieces “suggest night, and are usually quiet and meditative in nature” (Grove Encyclopedia of Music). Chopin’s 21 nocturnes for piano are perhaps the most celebrated examples of the genre. “Ballade to the Moon” is the first movement of a cycle of nocturnes composed by Daniel Elder. He puts the focus of his music squarely on the text: “I attempt to tap the emotions a poet put into the words.” He has no problem in authentically capturing this in “Ballade to the Moon” because he wrote the text as well. Elder says the nocturnes focus on “love, nature, darkness and light” and this nocturne especially centers on the latter three. The piano introduces the piece, with motives that recur occasionally throughout the work, almost as a refrain. But the most expressive choral writing occurs in the a cappella sections, especially in the middle section: “These woods, their weary wanderer swoon…I weep with joy beneath the moon.”

Text: Daniel Elder (b. 1986)

On moonlit night I wander free
On moonlit night I wander free
My mind to roam on thoughts of thee
With midnight darkness beckoning
My heart, my heart toward mystic fantasy
Come and dream
Come and dream in me

[chorus]

How beautiful this night in June
And here, upon the velvet dune
I weep with joy beneath the moon

[verse]

The path lies dark before my sight
And yet my feet with pure delight
Trod onward through the blackened vale
Beneath the starry sky so bright
O, share thy light

[chorus]

These woods, their weary wand′rer soon
In awe and fearful wonder swoon
I weep with joy beneath the moon

[verse]

And as the darkened hours flee
My heart beats ever rapidly
Though heavy hang my eyes with sleep

[chorus]

My soul, my singing soul, it cries to thee
My singing soul, it cries to thee
My singing soul, it cries to thee
Come sing with me, come sing with me
Come and sing, come and sing with me

[outro]

The twinkling sky casts forth its tune
O, must I leave thy charms so soon?
I weep with joy beneath the moon

American poet Sara Teasdale specialized in “short personal lyrics noted for their classical simplicity and quiet intensity” (Encyclopedia of Literature). That intensity is important, and the pastoral imagery of “There Will Come Soft Rains” also hides a great deal.  She lived during the horrors of World War I and this is an anti-war piece. All the beauties of nature continue; they “would not mind if mankind perished.” Not yet 30, English composer Lucy Walker already won a position on the music faculty of Cambridge University and holds a prominent place in British choral music. This gentle choral work opens and closes peacefully, reflecting Teasdale’s rich portraits of nature – while almost belying the serious and haunting message underneath. 

Repertory Singers are proud to be premiering Lucy Walker’s first choral/orchestral major work as part of this year’s James M. Collier New Works Festival. Ms. Walker will be flying over from England in May 2027 to attend the performances (May 29 & 30) and will be available for a Q&A following each performance.

Text: Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,

Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

American poet, novelist, environmental activist and farmer Wendell Berry passed this summer at age 92.  He taught creative writing for over a decade at the University of Kentucky, but always remained close to his Kentucky roots. Both his parents came from families of farmers. Berry championed the small rural farm all his life (while acknowledging the growth interests of industrial agriculture) and lifelong care for the environment. He wrote the nature poem “The Peace of Wild Things” in 1968, seeking peace and solace among pastoral bounty.  Dan Forrest is one of the few modern composers to become an instrumental virtuoso, with a masters degree in piano performance in addition to his doctorate in composition from the University of Kansas. That piano background influences his peaceful setting of Berry’s poem, often with continual 16th notes for the keyboard. Yet the effect is gentle, a counterpoint to Forrest’s understated choral writing that captures the spirit of Berry’s text.

Text: Wendell Berry (1934-2026)

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

A little excess rhetoric is always fun. Exaggerating only slightly, Paul said that for this concert he wanted to “overwhelm the audience with beauty.” And he has delivered a concert filled with gentle sweetness, a trait “Valgulese” exemplifies perhaps more than any other. A native Estonian, Pärt Uusberg is a choral singer and conductor. So it comes as no surprise that he’s a fine choral composer as well, knowing the art from the inside out. The title translates as “Light,” and this sweet and understated setting throughout first focuses on physical light – its wonderful splendor in the day and disappearance at night. But then the true source of light surfaces, as the speaker emphasizes his search for a beloved partner, a dream.

Text: Ernst Enno (1875-1934)

I heard a dream from my silent sleep
Heard bells ringing in the sun’s splendor,
The skies singing in divine beauty,
And even the darkness was smiling from afar
Now the night has pulled me away.
I walk in the faded shadows
Humming the song of darkness and light
And searching for the dream of you.

Dolly Parton – maintaining an extraordinarily active work schedule in her 60s and 70s, right up until her death this summer – became a true American icon in every sense. As a singer, her 49 studio albums amassed over 100 million record and CD sales, making her one of the most successful recording artists ever. And she didn’t just sit on that money, but immersed herself in charity work and philanthropy. Her Dollywood Foundation sponsors education programs (the Buddy Program and Imagination Library helps teach reading and literacy), wildlife sanctuaries (partnering with both the American Eagle Foundation to sponsor a park for bald eagles and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), local economic and job support, and major disaster relief (her telethon helped raise $9 million for the 2016 Smoky Mountains Wildfires assistance).

Oh, and let’s not overlook the songwriting from the “Queen of Country Music!” Dolly Parton wrote over 3,000 songs. Her 1973 song “I Will Always Love You” became an international hit for Whitney Houston – the highest selling recording ever by a female singer. She also wrote the words and music for “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” in 1977. Craig Hella Johnson created a wonderful choral arrangement of it, which opens with a brief instrumental solo. Most of his arrangement features choral vocalese, creating a tender setting for the soprano solo and her hopeful lyrics. But the choir finally closes the piece – and listen for that blues-oriented coda and souped-up final cadence!

Text: Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

It’s been a long dark night
And I’ve been a-waitin’ for the morning
It’s been a long hard fight
But I see a brand new day dawning
I’ve been looking for the sunshine
You know I ain’t seen it in so long
But everything’s gonna work out just fine
And everything’s gonna be alright
That’s been all wrong

‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of a brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh, and everything’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay

It’s been a long, long time
Since I’ve known the taste of freedom
Those clinging vines
That had me bound, well, I don’t need ’em
Oh, I’ve been like a captured eagle
You know, an eagle’s born to fly
Now that I have won my freedom
Like an eagle, I am eager for the sky

‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh, and everything’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay

I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh, and everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay

But I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of a brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh, and everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay

‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay

Paul French often programs a lively spiritual or a pop-oriented piece to provide a truly upbeat ending for these concerts – and he’s done it again, with a special piece by Jacob Collier. Born in 1994, this young British composer has already won seven Grammy Awards for his vocal compositions and arrangements. He is the first British artist to be awarded Grammys for each of his first four albums. Last spring, the Repertory Singers performed his “World, O World”, which dramatically challenged the very borders of pop harmony and tonal composition. He takes a lighter touch on “Little Blue,” a gentle song about “finding your way home” – whatever your idea of the comfort home brings. His mother gave her children little blue creatures to play with when they were children, and thinking of them now gives him comfort and solace. But don’t be fooled by the easy-going text and spirit. Unlike the complex harmony of “World O World”, this time Collier saves the complexity for the demanding pop rhythms and syncopations – yet “Little Blue” still yields a gentle, lighthearted, and uplifting peace.

Text: Jacob Collier (b. 1994)

Little blue, be my shelter
Be my cradle, be my womb
Be my boat, be my river
Be the stillness of the moon
If I could, I’d go with you
To a place I never knew
In your eyes, so dark and open
There’s a light that leads me back to you

‘Cause you’re not so far away
I hear you say
“You’ll never walk alone”
Singin’

Don’t be afraid of the dark
In your heart
You’re gonna find a way
To carry the weight of the world
On your shoulders
You’re gonna find a way home

Little blue, be my anchor
Be my light, my compass star
Be my darkness, be my danger
Be the strings of my guitar
Little blue (little blue)
How I love you (how I love you)
Somethin’ strong and somethin’ true
In your arms (in your arms)
So dear and gentle
There’s a home
That leads me back to you

‘Cause you’re not so far away
I hear you say
“You’ll never walk alone”
Singin’

Don’t be afraid of the dark
In your heart
You’re gonna find a way
To carry the weight of the world
On your shoulders
You’re gonna find a way
Don’t be afraid of the light
It’s alright
You’re gonna find your way
To carry the weight of the world
On your shoulders
You’re gonna find your way home