My Nature Is Fire (2024)
Soprano, piano. 5′
Text: St. Catherine of Siena; translated by Suzanne Noffke OP and used with permission
This work is the fourth movement of my cantata Children of the Light, a nine-movement work for chorus, soprano and baritone soloists and piano four-hands. Here are brief excerpts of St. Catherine’s powerful and dramatic prayer: “In your nature, eternal Godhead, I shall come to know my own nature. And what is my nature?… It is fire!… For you are nothing but a fire of love… O ungrateful people!… are you not ashamed to cut yourself off from such a noble thing? O eternal Trinity, my sweet love… give us light… that we may perfectly know and follow your truth.” The work is suitable for use in either a sacred or concert setting.
A Revelation of Love (2024)
Soprano solo a cappella. 5′
Text: Selections from Shewings, by Julian of Norwich
I spent many months studying the book of the 14th – 15th century mystic Julian of Norwich, identifying segments to assemble into this musical setting. I chose to adapt her language into modern English, striving to be as faithful as possible to the original middle English. The work is suitable for use in either a sacred or concert setting.
Everything Has a Heart (2023)
Soprano, piano. 17′
This set of six songs by Maine poets was composed for soprano Sarah Tuttle, for her project Songs From Here, an initiative to cultivate and celebrate works by Maine-based poets and composers. Sarah and pianist Bridget Convey gave the first performances in autumn of 2023 at several venues in Maine.
Texts:
Boulder – Sidney Wade
Gulls In the Wind – Betsy Sholl
Some Clear Night – Gary Lawless
Why Do You Ask? and In the Pasture – Kate Barnes
Everything Has a Heart – Deborah Cummins
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The Greatest of These Is Love (2022)
Tenor solo & piano. 6′
Text: 1 Corinthians 1-13
A dramatic and harmonically rich setting for tenor of the powerful verses on love contained in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13. The work is suitable for use in either a sacred or concert setting; it features a challenging but rewarding part for an advanced accompanist.
Lord, Make Me an Instrument (2021)
High voice, piano. 3′
A reflective setting for solo voice and piano of the lovely anonymous text often called the Prayer of Saint Francis. In this setting I took the liberty of adding two words (“to ourselves”) to the prayer, towards the end: “… for it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.” They fit quite naturally into the flow of the music and, I believe, are certainly in keeping with the teachings of St. Francis
Night Songs (2018)
Mezzo-soprano, ‘cello & piano. 18’
Texts by Sara Teasdale
These songs, settings of poems by the great lyric poet, address a variety of emotions: a warm reminiscence of evenings spent in New York’s Riverside Park; the innocence of a child running to her neighbor’s house, accompanied by the moon; a lament that her inner turmoil prevents her from resting in the beauty of the night. Ultimately the night and the stars seem to have become sources of solace and objects of adoration.
Night Songs was composed for, and is dedicated to, the Resinosa Ensemble: Jöelle Morris (mezzo-soprano), Eliza Meyer (‘cello) and Bridget Convey (piano). The first performance was given at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine on February 2, 2019.
I. There Will Be Stars (from Dark of the Moon, 1926)
II. Summer Night, Riverside (from Love Songs, 1917)
III. Spring Night (from Love Songs, 1917)
IV. The Kind Moon (from Helen of Troy and Other Poems, 1911)
V. June Night (from Flame and Shadow, 1920)
VI. Stars (from Flame and Shadow, 1920)
VII. Winter Stars (from Flame & Shadow, 1920)
Devotional Chants and Mantras (2011)
Solo voice or unison group singing, optional accompaniment. 53 selections
Level: Easy to learn and sing; can be simply spoken
This collection of chants and mantras is intended for use in one’s personal meditation and prayer. These fifty three short works are melodies that “came to” me at various times over a period of years, from about 1992 to 2011. They have been aids in my own meditation and prayer, and my intention is that they serve that purpose for you. Many of the chants may also be useful in group worship. Available also on CD.
Many of the lyrics are original with me; and others you will find to be familiar from the Psalms and other writings of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Some are based upon well known Buddhist mantras. For complete texts click here.
The Signature of All Things (2009)
Baritone, oboe, piano. 13’
Text: Kenneth Rexroth. Settings of his three-part nature poem of the same title
I. Falling
II. The Oak Grove
III. Phosphorescence
The first performance took place October 29, 2009 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The ensemble consisted of Jack Brown (baritone), Lyndon Moors (oboe) and myself (piano).
O Lord, You have searched me and found me (2008)
Voice, organ. 5’
Text: Psalm 139
Through its powerful imagery and universal message Psalm 139 remains one of those that continue to speak directly to us today. This is appropriate for concert use or in a religious service.
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (2002)
Tenor or soprano, piano. 3’
Text: Christopher Marlowe.
A simple setting of this great love poem in a somewhat modernized Elizabethan “lute song” style: “Come be with me and be my love…” The performance took place on July 6, 2002 by Bradford Fisk (tenor) and Beverly Bowman (piano) at my wedding to the darling Linda Courtney in Worthington, Massachusetts.
Four Sacred Songs (1995, rev. 2009)
Soprano, piano; also available for medium voice. 11’
Texts: Psalms 121 & 23, John Newell
I. I lift up mine eyes
II. The Lord is my shepherd
III. Sing, oh my soul
IV. I thank thee, God
These four psalms are appropriate for concert use or in a religious service. The first performance took place at Simons Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, with Sarah Novak, soprano.
“With the composer at the piano, Novak did full justice to the sinuous vocal lines that flowed gently with just a hint of near-eastern inflection.”
– Berkshire Record
Sonnet 115 (1994)
Soprano or tenor, piano. 3’
Text: William Shakespeare: “Those lines that I before have writ do lie, Even those that Said I could not love you dearer….. Love is a babe; then might I not so so, To give full growth to that which still doth grow”
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Poems for Loving (1982)
Baritone, clarinet in A. 5’
Text: Lyn Horton
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Audible (1977)
Soprano, percussion solo. 10’
“…a motionless beauty…as delicate and as pretty a piece for voice and percussion as I can imagine.” – The Reader (Chicago)
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