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A Little Song of Life - (2009)
Lizette Woodworth Reese
for medium voice and piano
Glad that I live am I;
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew.
After the sun the rain;
After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.
All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky.[ 2 pages, circa 2' 20" ]
Lizette Woodworth Reese
Born in Waverly, Maryland, Lizette Woodworth Reese was a teacher from 1873 to 1918. During the 1920s, she became a prominent literary figure writing poetry, novels and short stories and gaining praise and recognition, most notably from H. L. Mencken, another Maryland native, during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Reese has been known primarily as a transitional writer, bridging the gap between the Victorian and modern poets, acting as an influence on younger women poets of the modern era for her concise style.
The setting of this "hymn" of three stanzas is made with the texture of the four-voice chorale as its accompaniment. Octave displacement varies the accompaniment in part, and the last verse of the poem alters the vocal line for additional though gentle emphasis. Rubato a piacere is suggested as among the interpretive devices for the performers.
The score for A Little Song of Life is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.
