Kroll-Rosenbaum, Nora - Two Songs from e.e. cummings (SSA)

The Transient Glory series presents new choral works by some of America’s most engaging contemporary composers, specially written to celebrate the art of children’s choirs and the transient but glorious nature of young singing voices. The works, which were all commissioned for a concert performance series by the Young People’s Chorus of New York, promise to make a significant addition to the repertoire for children’s and youth choruses.


The composer writes:


“maggie and milly and molly and may” is a playful song that dances between chorus, clarinet and piano.  The material for this movement perpetually “runs away with itself,” either through wild interruptions by the clarinet, or by lively lines in the chorus.  The movement concludes as the chorus momentarily becomes pensive and we “find ourselves at sea,” before we run off to play again, with hurried lines in the clarinet and piano.


“who are you,little i” is a lullaby about the circularity of life.  In this movement the clarinet becomes an internal voice of the chorus, almost humming, as one might in singing a folk song.  The first and second themes are heard side by side, and then together in the final statement.  The piece concludes quietly as a humble tribute to growing up and finding your way.


– Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum