cindy mctee

SONGS OF SPRING AND THE MOON
for chamber ensemble

1983
8 minutes

instrumentation

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program notes

Songs of Spring and the Moon is an eclectic setting of six poems by the Greek lyric poet, Sappho (ca. 610-580 B.C.) for soprano and chamber ensemble. The piece consists of eight sections as follows: (1) an instrumental introduction of the work's most important interval, the perfect fifth, as well as various sound events reminiscent of spring; (2) twelve-tone "night" music written to texts having to do with dawn and the awakening of spring; (3) contrasting diatonic material (the main body of the piece) presenting a buoyant and flexible vocal line against a pulsating instrumental accompaniment; (4) a slightly expanded version of the introduction; (5) a setting of "In old days . . ." accompanied by a drone characteristic of antiquity; (6) an instrumental arrangement of an ancient Greek melody entitled Seikilos Song; (7) the return of the drone; and (8) the return of the twelve-tone music to the text, ". . . and night poured down black sleep upon their lids."