Three Transcendentalist Poems, for SATB choir a cappella

The set of three songs may be performed in its entirety, or individual songs or pairs may be presented. In any case, the program listing should show the movements performed:

I - The Bell (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

II - Thoreau's Flute (Louisa May Alcott)

III - My Symphony (William Ellery Channing)

All three poems have obvious musical references, which undoubtedly influenced the settings in a general way. However, there has been no attempt to interpret elements of the texts in a literal way. In certain passages, the text has been set so that phrases of text, in some cases individual words, are passed from one voice to another. For this reason, the singers are encouraged to read the entire texts in order to understand how occasional fragments of phrases or words fit into the larger context. For the audience, it is preferred that the printed texts be included with the program in performance.

Approximate Durations: I - 2:30, II - 4:30, III - 3:00

Total Duration: 10-11 minutes