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Roses (2008)

For female voices (SSAA)
Text by George Eliot

First performance by La Caccina Vocal Ensemble,
Carling Fitzsimmons, Artistic Director, Chicago, IL, 28 October 2016
Duration: 6 minutes

CD Available

This work is available on
Open Book - Chicago-based women's vocal ensemble La Caccina

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Program Note

With love to John Corigliano on his 70th birthday.

Text by George Eliot

You love the roses — so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet; and it would be
Like sleeping and like waking, all at once!

Note: It will be necessary for the chorus to stagger breathe to maintain a seamless flow of sound. The conductor and chorus are to decide where they want to take collective "tutti" breaths. For instance, the composer suggests unified breaths between bars 5 and 6; between bars 17 and 18; and between bars 58 and 59, among many other places in the composition.

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Augusta Read Thomas's works, please contact G. Schirmer Inc..