Baritone Voice and Piano
SKU: BT.PMC3865
Baritone and
piano. Composed by
Morten Lauridsen. Score
Only. Composed 2011. 12
pages. Peermusic
Classical #PMC3865.
Published by Peermusic
Classical (BT.PMC3865).
The Two Songs
on American Poems were
composed in late May and
early June of 2011 by
candlelight at my rustic
waterfront cabin on a
remote island off the
northwest coast of
Washington State. It was
in this locale that I
havecompleted a number of
works over the years,
including the Lux
Aeterna, O Magnum
Mysterium, Nocturnes,
Canticle/O Vos Omnes and
others. Prayer was
written in memory of
Michael Jasper Gioia,
Dana and Mary Gioia's
infant son, whosebrief
life was tragically ended
by SIDS.Mr. Gioia served
as Chair of the National
Endowment for the Arts
from 2003-2010 and has
authored several books of
poems, numerous
anthologies, articles,
essays and two opera
libretti. Amonghis many
awards are the American
Book Award and
Presidential Citizens
Medal. He currently holds
the Judge Widney Chair of
Poetry and Public Policy
at the University of
Southern California. Sure
on this Shining Night was
originallycomposed as a
choral piece, the third
movement of my Nocturnes
on poems by Rilke, Neruda
and Agee. Rod Gilfry, an
international star of
opera, recital and
musical theater,
premiered the mixed duet
version with his
daughter, Carin,in 2009.
He is Professor of Vocal
Studies at the USC
Thornton School of Music.
Both he and Mr. Gioia are
national treasures. The
Two Songs are designed as
a pair but may be sung
independently - when
paired, Sure On This
ShiningNight should begin
immediatelyfollowing the
final, sustained chord of
Prayer with no break in
between the songs. Both
of these songs, premiered
by Mr. Gilfry accompanied
by the composer at a USC
Visions & Voices tribute
to DanaGioia on September
27, 2011, have their
roots in the American
musical theater and
should be sung as
such.
