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Praise Wet Snow Falling Early
Opening with a tender appreciation of one morning's light, this piece gradually grows into a broader meditation on darkness, transcendence and hope. With the understated sensibility of art song and an expressive piano accompaniment, this song offers a deeply moving experience for both performers and audience.
| Item | Instrumentation/Voicing | Duration | Level | Audio | Peruse | Delivery Method (Print vs. Digital) | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA-015-00 | SATB, piano - Choral Score | 7' | M | https://www.seafarerpress.com/sites/seafarerpress.advantagelabs.com/files/samples/praise_wet_snow_falling_early.mp3 |
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Sheet Music | $3.00 | |
| SEA-015-00DEL | SATB, piano - Choral Score | 7' | M | https://www.seafarerpress.com/sites/seafarerpress.advantagelabs.com/files/samples/praise_wet_snow_falling_early.mp3 |
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Licensed PDF | $3.00 | |
| SEA-CD-01 | Finally on My Way to Yes - CD | 60' | https://www.seafarerpress.com/sites/seafarerpress.advantagelabs.com/files/works_variant_audio_files/finally_on_my_way_to_yes_0.mp3 | CD | $7.00 |
In 1997 in the small town of Dryden, New York, a group of people came together in the wake of two unexplainable and horrific murders, and did the only thing they could think of to do. They formed a choir. When the conductor asked me to write a piece for them, I knew I wanted it to address good and evil on a very basic level, offering no easy answers or second-rate balm. I chose to set the "Gloria" poem from Denise Levertov's "Mass for Thomas Didymus," which wrestles with contradiction and doubt as it nevertheless makes its way into the heart of praise.
"Yes, this piece is expressive and written well. But my particular affinity for it stems from Alexander's Barber-esque approach to setting the text. Her mastery of prosody, declamation, etc. results in a marriage between music and text that is dynamic and indelible. All too few pieces written today seem to have the text so firmly in mind, which is why I continue to champion this piece." Article in Choral Director Magazine: "Only the Best" by Drew Collins, Associate Director of Choral Studies at Wright State University (Dayton, OH)
"Opening almost as an art song, this work took full advantage of the chorus' wonderful pianissimo... Within a surprisingly short span of time, Alexander's work develops fully, touching on a range of emotions." Eugene Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
"This is praise with a sharp purpose, reminding us that peace is no free gift, but a struggle against bloody impulse." Bruce Bush, Cantabile Chamber Chorale Notes (Piscataway, NJ)
Premiere: Dryden Community Choir / Elizabeth Alexander (Dryden, NY)
American University Chamber Singers / Daniel Abraham (Washington, DC)
Boulder Chorale / Timothy Snyder (Boulder, CO)
Cantabile Chamber Chorale / Rebecca Scott (Piscataway, NJ)
Cayuga Vocal Ensemble / Tim Newton (Ithaca, NY)
Chalice Singers of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor / Glen Thomas Rideout (Ann Arbor, MI)
Choir of First Religious Society UU / Jay Lane (Newburyport, MA)
Choir of First Unitarian Church of Providence / Donald Dame (Providence, RI)
Choir of Jefferson Unitarian Church of Golden, CO / Keith Arnold (Golden, CO)
Choir of May Memorial Church / Glenn Kime (Syracuse, NY)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Washington County / Susan Peck (Hillsboro, OR)
Cleveland High School Choir / Steve Peter (Portland, OR)
Cornell University's Sage Chapel Choir / Richard Riley (Ithaca, NY)
Denison University Chamber Singers / Bonnie Borshay (Granville, OH)
Elderhostel Choir / David King (Pingree Park, CO)
Foothills Unitarian Church Choir / David King (Fort Collins, CO)
Hildegard Festival Choir / Daniel Afonso. Hildegard Festival of Women in Music (Stanislas, CA)
Littleton Chorale / James Ramsey (Littleton, CO)
Michigan Youth Chamber Singers / Paul Rardin (Ann Arbor, MI)
Oregon Repertory Singers / Gil Seeley. Waging Peace Through Singing Project (Eugene, OR)
Syracuse Vocal Ensemble / Bob Cowles (Syracuse and Geneva, NY)
Towson State University Chorale / Arian Khaefi (Towson, MD)
University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Workshop Choir / Drew Collins. Doctoral Lecture‑Recital (Cincinnati, OH)
University of Southern Indiana Chamber Choir / Daniel Craig (Evansville, IN)
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