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The House of Dreams - (2010)
Sara Teasdale
for mezzo soprano and piano
I built a little House of Dreams,
And fenced it all about,
But still I heard the Wind of Truth
That roared without.
I laid a fire of Memories
And sat before the glow,
But through the chinks and round the door
The wind would blow.
I left the House, for all the night
I heard the Wind of Truth; —
I followed where it seemed to lead
Through all my youth.
But when I sought the House of Dreams,
To creep within and die,
The Wind of Truth had levelled it,
And passed it by.[ 2 pages, circa 2' 15" ]
Sara Teasdale
The text was published in Teasdale's collection, Sonnets to Duse and other poems, Boston: The Poet Lore Company, 1907.
The four sets of four lines are handled in an AABA form, as the third set of verses proves the movement away and return to the empty yet once comforting dream. The fall from C to B within a general tonal domain of B minor -- per the final cadence -- precludes a key signature for ease in reading, especially the chromaticism as at measures 11 and thereafter. The B section rises in text and tonal color to G sharp, before the setting's momentary energy is again dissipated and the dream ends with the truth -- some dreams are but dreams.
The score for The House of Dreams 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.
