During the summer of 1997, all of my compositional
energies were dedicated to setting texts by Emily Dickinson for voice and piano.
Over the course of the summer, approximately twenty songs were sketched.
Without a specific regard to theme, many of the songs expressed thoughts and
feelings on many topics. I f I read the poem and it resonated within me, I
went ahead a made a setting of it. There was no sequence to the
collection. Two of my former theory students expressed a desire to program
some of the songs on their recitals. The choice of songs and order of
performance was their decision. Since that time, a modest number of
additional songs were added to the collection. One of projects for this
summer (2003) is to complete a re-scoring of the songs for a wind quintet and
soprano. The song cycles, Wings and Corners were results of that
project. Since then, an additional twenty songs were sketched in the
summer of 2008. The title, From Emily's Window is a collective term I use
to descirbe the ongoing project of setting poetry by Emily Dickinson. I hope to
see the project staged. The setting would be in the simple bedroom of Emily
Dickinson, Emily would peer out her window or move about the room and recite
(sing) her poems.
Set I (Duration 6:56)
1142 - The Props Assist the House
1014 - Did We Abolish Frost
1017 - To Die-Without the Dying
959 - A Loss of Something Ever Felt
I
970 - Color - Caste -
Denomination
0:00
1:49
2:16
3:11
5:20
Set II (Duration 6:18)
((Scroll down to see the texts for set II)
317 - Abraham to Kill Him
1068 - Further in Summer Than the
Birds
1197 I Should Not Dare to Be so Sad
1082 Revolution Is the Pod
0:00
1:58
3:27
5:08
Set I (Heidi Stober,soprano)
1142 - The Props Assist The House
The Props assist the House
Until the House is built
And then the Props withdraw
And adequate, erect,
The House support itself
And cease to recollect
The Auger and the Carpenter
Just such a retrospect
Hath the perfected Life
A past of Plank and Nail
And slowness then the Scaffold drop
Affirming it a Soul.
1014 - Did We Abolish Frost
Did We abolish Frost
The Summer would not cease-
If Seasons perish or prevail
Is optional with Us -
1017 - To Die Without The Dying
To die without the Dying
And live without the Life
This is the hardest Miracle
Propounded to Belief.
959 - A
Loss Of Something Ever Felt I
A loss of something ever felt I
The first that I cound recollect
Bereft I was of what I knew not
Too young that any should suspect
A Mourner walked among the children
I notwithstanding went about
As one bemoaning a Dominion
Itself the only Prince cast out
Elder, Today, a session wiser
And fainter, too, as Wiseness is
I find myself still softly searching
For my Delinquent Features.
And a Suspicion, like a Finger
Touches my Forehead now and then
That I am looking oppositely
For the site of the Kingdom of Heaven
970 - Color Caste - Denomination
Color Caste Denomination
These- are Times Affair
Deaths diviner Classifying
Does
not know that they are there
As in sleep All Hue forgotten
Tenets put aside
Deaths large Democratic fingers
Rub away the Brand
If Circassian He is careless
If He put away
Chrysalis of Blonde or Umber
Equal Butterfly
They emerge from His Obscuring
What Time knows so well
Our minuter intuitions
Deem implausible.
Set II (Elizabeth Eiel, soprano)
1317 - Abraham To Kill Him
Abraham to kill him
Was distinctly told
Isaac was an Urchin
Abraham was old
Not a hesitation
Abraham complied
Flattered by Obeisance
Tyranny demurred
Isaac to his children
Lived to tell the tale
Moral with a Mastiff
Manners may prevail.
1068 -
Further in Summer Than The Birds
Further in Summer than the Birds
Pathetic from the Grass
A minor Nation celebrates
Its unobtrusive Mass.
No
Ordinance be seen
So gradual the Grace
A pensive Custom it becomes
Enlarging Loneliness.
Antiquest felt at Noon
When August burning low
Arise this spectral Canticle
Repose to typify.
Remit
as yet no Grace
No Furrow on the Glow
Yet a Druidic Difference
Enhances Nature now.
1197 - I Should
Not Dare To Be So Sad
should not dare to be so sad
So many Years again
A Load is first impossible
When we have put it down
The Superhuman then withdraws
And we who never saw
The Giant at the other side
Begin to perish now.
1082 - Revolution Is The Pod
Revolution is the Pod
Systems rattle from
When the Winds of Will are stirred
Excellent is Bloom
But
except its Russet Base
Every Summer be
The Entomber of itself
So of Liberty
Left
inactive on the Stalk
All its Purple fled
Revolution shakes it for
Test if it be dead.
Recorded: Lawrence University, Conservatory of Music,
Appleton, Wisconsin, 1999, live performance. Set I performers: Heidi Stober,
soprano, J. Halvor Benson, Piano. Set II performers: Elizabeth Eiel,
soprano, Paul Webber, piano.
