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Three Girls - (2022)
Hazel Hall
for mezzo soprano and piano
Three school-girls pass this way each day:
Two of them go in the fluttery way
Of girls, with all that girlhood buys;
But one goes with a dream in her eyes,
Two of them have the eyes of girls
Whose hair is learning scorn of curls,
But the eyes of one are like wide doors
Opening out on misted shores.
And they will go as they go to-day
On to the end of life’s short way;
Two will have what living buys,
And one will have the dream in her eyes.
Two will die as many must,
And fitly dust will welcome dust;
But dust has nothing to do with one—
She dies as soon as her dream is done.4 page, circa 3' 00"
This text of Hazel Hall (1886-1924) is found in the Anthology of Magazine Verse for 1920 William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (1878–1962). It is touching for the sentiment as written by a young woman confined to a wheelchair for much of her short life. One listens with this perspective to the "voice" of the third girl, for whom the measure of life through the pursuit of one's dream.
The four strophes are handled with light variation, the last two dropping from C to B major, with the vocal line intended to give clarity in song to the text. Poignant portamenti end some phrases, with rubato to heighten them recommended.
The score 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 art song score.
