for high voice and piano
about 7”00
Premiere at Saint Peters at the Citigroup Center
New York City
February 2, 2010
I have always considered Poe a challenge to set musically; his texts are full of rhythm and meter, and I think a composer is foolhardy to add anything to Poe’s rich, musical language. Still, I was encouraged to look at Poe again by a good, trusted friend, and I discovered two lesser known poems that I really enjoyed: “To the River” and “Alone.” One of my favorite poems of Poe is “A Dream Within a Dream” and I considered breaking up its two stanzas into two movements. Once I had thought of this idea, the collection came together.
These songs are very lyrical and have different shifting moods within the songs.
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A great way to support new music is to perform the music you find here.
