Choral Piece of the Day, Installment 31: Nature: Composed in 2008, Nature is a moving setting for mixed chorus and piano or chamber orchestra of the same-named poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). I wrote this work as an entry for the 2008–09 The Longfellow Chorus International Composition Competition in which Nature ended up winning the co-first place prize.
Director Charles Kaufmann led the chorus in the premiere performances of this piece on February 28, 2009 at the First Parish Church in Portland, Maine, and on March 1, 2009 at First Congregational Church, South Portland, Maine. Nature was published by ECS Publishing Group the same year.
Follow the next URL to hear a fine demo recording made by the Philovox Ensemble directed by the late Robert Schuneman, the former owner of the publisher who was also a talented conductor, organist, an composer.
Follow the next URL to see a partial PDF sample of the score, to purchase performance copies, and to hear the same audio track described above. https://www.ecspublishing.com/nature-7432.html
Follow the next URL to see and hear the publisher's YouTube scrolling score music video for the version with piano accompaniment.
Follow the next URL to see and hear my YouTube music video for the version with piano accompaniment.
I arranged an alternative accompaniment for chamber orchestra in 2020. The full score and parts are available on rental from the publisher. Follow the next URL for contact information regarding the rental materials. https://www.ecspublishing.com/rental
Follow the next URL to see and hear my synthesized scrolling score YouTube music video for the version with chamber orchestra accompaniment.
Here is ordering information for all materials for Nature that are available for sale; the ECS Publishing Group catalog numbers follow.
Piano/Choral Score: 7432, $2.85
Downloadable Piano/Choral Score: file_7432-E, $2.85 *
* Downloadable choral octavo minimum order quantity is 6.
Additional Score with Chamber Orchestra Accompaniment: 7432A, $35.00
Downloadable Accompaniment Tracks 1-50 singers: file_7432-CTE, $49.99
TEXT
As a fond mother, when the day is o'er,
Leads by the hand her little child to bed,
Half willing, half reluctant to be led,
And leave his broken playthings on the floor,
Still gazing at them through the open door,
Nor wholly reassured and comforted
By promises of others in their stead,
Which, though more splendid, may not please him more;
So Nature deals with us, and takes away
Our playthings one by one, and by the hand
Leads us to rest so gently, that we go
Scarce knowing if we wish to go or stay,
Being too full of sleep to understand
How far the unknown transcends the what we know.
“Nature” from Kéramos, and Other Poems (1878)
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
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