Winner of an Award of Distinction in Choral Composition in the 2007-08
International Composers Competition of the Longfellow Chorus, Inc., Portland Maine.
for Dr. David Holdhusen and the University of South Dakota Chamber Singers
International Composers Competition of the Longfellow Chorus, Inc., Portland Maine.
for Dr. David Holdhusen and the University of South Dakota Chamber Singers
The Slave Singing at Midnight
For SATB Voices with Baritone Solo, a cappella
click image for sample pages
mp3 - The University of South Dakota Chamber Singers, Vermillion, SD
David Holdhusen, conductor
David Holdhusen, conductor
There are a number of elements that contributed to the writing process of this composition. First of all, I was inspired to set a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow so that it may be considered for an international composers' competition with the Longfellow Chorus, Inc. Portland, Maine.
After reading Longfellow's Poems on Slavery and having a strong reaction to this poem, I decided to try my hand at writing in the style of a negro folk song/spiritual, thinking that the text indicated this style of composition was appropriate. I was even more inspired to write in this idiom after reading André Thomas' book, "Way over in Beulah Lan' - Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual."
Last but not least, I wanted to write a piece for my friend and colleague, David Holdhusen, who is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of South Dakota. So, I consulted with David a couple of times during the writing process with the intention of writing a piece that would be musically satisfying for the USD Chamber Singers.
Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Loud he sang the psalm of David!
He, a Negro and enslaved,
Sang of Israel's victory,
Sang of Zion, bright and free.
In that hour, when night is calmest,
Sang he from the Hebrew Psalmist,
In a voice so sweet and clear
That I could not choose but hear,
Songs of triumph, and ascriptions,
Such as reached the swart Egyptians,
When upon the Red Sea coast
Perished Pharaoh and his host.
And the voice of his devotion
Filled my soul with strange emotion;
For its tones by turns were glad,
Sweetly solemn, wildly sad.
Paul and Silas, in their prison,
Sang of Christ, the Lord arisen.
And an earthquake's arm of might
Broke their dungeon-gates at night.
But, alas! what holy angel
Brings the Slave this glad evangel?
And what earthquake's arm of might
Breaks his dungeon-gates at night?