Songs of Spring
Songs of Spring is a trio of love songs celebrating sisters and sisterhood, the joyful relinquishing of emotional burden, and the power of the natural world to inspire fearless female strength. It was commissioned for Esprit Singers of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada by choir member Trudy Blight in honour of her treasured sisters. My favourite commissioning projects are those based on relationships, personal connections, or links to the commissioning musicians. This project had all three of those elements and as a result, was a collaboration that deeply inspired me. I hope the resulting work, Songs of Spring, is a performance piece that inspires choristers to reflect on their relationships with each other, the sisters in their lives whomever they may be, and their personal journeys in search of a positive and confident sense of self.
- Lyrics
I. Sister of the Sky
I went out on an April morning
All alone, for my heart was high.
I was a child of the shining meadow,
I was a sister of the sky.There in the windy flood of morning
Longing lifted its weight from me,
Lost as a sob in the midst of cheering,
Swept as a sea-bird out to sea.II. Fearless Heart
The spring is fresh and fearless
And every leaf is new,
The world is brimmed with moonlight,
The lilac brimmed with dew.
Here in the moving shadows
I catch my breath and sing–
My heart is fresh and fearless
And over-brimmed with spring.III. Sing Before Night
Evening, and all the birds
In a chorus of shimmering sound
Are easing their hearts of joy
For miles around.
The air is blue and sweet,
The few first stars are white,—
Oh let me like the birds
Sing before night.Sara Teasdale
Published by Oxford University Press

Duration: 10 minutes
Published: 2024
ISBN: 9780193574281