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Posted on December 9, 2009 at 12:21 am
Wow… a truly spine-tingling sound recording from 1953. One of my very favorite poems, read by the great E.E. Cummings:
And here is the excellent VU Kamercoor (Netherlands) performing my setting, which I composed in 1999:
@MrBradLundie Possibly a Soaring Leap workshop in June...
@Missrachelbram @maggieb94 Woo hoo!
@keithh_b Heh. I would say 'upset' is a bit of an understatement...
You MUST see @concordiachoir conducted by René Clausen. One of my all-time favorite choirs. US tour begins this Sat! http://t.co/WwqpqZbm
Copyright 2012 Eric Whitacre. All rights reserved.
11 Comments
Aric Johnstone on December 9, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Eric,
I'm a BYU alum (worked on your most recent BYU collaboration a couple of years ago) and now sing with the Deseret Chamber Singers based out of SLC. You've probably not heard of us, but we're comprised almost exclusively of former members of BYU Singers and the University of Utah Singers. Over the last 3 years we've performed several of your songs and most recently we performed Water Night at our fall concert in October.
The recording turned out really nicely and we posted the video to our facebook fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy#/pa…
I thought you might like to take a look when you have a moment. Thanks for all your work!
Aric
Curtis Prevo on December 12, 2009 at 7:23 am
Aric, thanks for the awesome link to your group’s page!!! I love Salt Lake City-based groups! The music in Utah almost convinces me to become a Mormon.
Elliott on December 16, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I absolutely LOVE e. e. cummings. And your setting. I'm attempting to arrange it for full orchestra. Awesome stuff.
Elliott on December 17, 2009 at 1:35 am
Wow, I LOVE e. e. cummings. And especially your setting. I am attempting to arrange it for full orchestra. Good stuff.
Deacon on January 6, 2010 at 12:02 am
When I first heard this song performed by Polyphony, it brought me to tears, and hearing this performance has brought back those emotions. Bravo!
Mark S on January 8, 2010 at 7:50 pm
The University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire's Concert Choir had your setting of this poem in its repertoire when it toured in Normandy in 2004 around the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
I was in that choir, and when we sang this piece at a concert at Abbey Cerisy honoring Veterans of the 29th Infantry Division (they came with their families to hear the concert)…I have never been so present in a piece of music in my life. I understood and sang out every word and note as if I'd never conceived of them before in my life. That moment is permanently written in my memory.
I've always wished to say thank you, somehow, for your music…and now I can.
Thank you.
Brent Walker on January 29, 2010 at 11:00 am
Eric, I discovered your music just before being diagnosed with prostate cancer. All is good now, but I want you to know that your transcendent setting of this fabulous poem got me through the scariest time of my life.
Thank you for your abundant talent, and never stop writing.
joanne on August 12, 2010 at 9:46 am
my cherished son, tim, and his two precious children lost mother and wife, four days ago. hearing this deeply moving poem set to music for choir has brought me comfort and assurance for the hopeful days to come. my gratefulness for such beauty fills an aching heart.
David on January 22, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Another excellent performance of your piece (very well recorded), by Asaka High School Chorus Club: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ7xIQ7HelY
Janet Caldwell on July 20, 2011 at 12:28 pm
I have loved this poem since Iwas 6 years old, now 55. What a joy it was to hear e.e. Cummings voice and then to hear it sung so beautifully. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Lisa Downey on January 23, 2012 at 6:54 pm
I am in the middle of a series of paintings based on e.e. cummings poems. I paint the words on top of an abstract picture. It’s wonderful to hear the words that I’ve been focusing on — and in such incredibly beautiful music! Congratulations!!