Time Is...

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

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SATB choir (w/ opt. div.) and soprano solo, a cappella

Dedicated to Elizabeth M. Colpo and the Lower Dauphin HSl Chamber Singers (Hershey, PA)

In loving memory of Meghan Marie Johnson (1998-2017)

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Available through manuscript

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American author Henry Van Dyke's poem Time Is presents a series of contradictions; for example, "Time is too Slow for those who Wait," or "Time is too Long for those who Grieve."  But his more powerful message is at the close of the short poem: "But for those who Love, Time is not."  Given music's amazing power to suspend or warp the perception of passing time, I set forth paying tribute to Lower Dauphin HS student Meghan Marie Johnson as best I could, trying to use music and Dyke's poem to mess with the listener's perception of time, through repeated musical elements​, inverted pedal tones, and methodical pacing of dynamics and harmonic movement.  While only featuring four parts plus a soprano solo, Time Is... will challenge your choirs endurance and depths of expression.