In Times of Stasis From Songs of Hope in Strange Times Music & Text by Amy Gordon Instrumentation: SATB Choir (with featured Treble Choir) & String Quartet Duration : 6 Minutes Copyright © 2020 -2023 by Amy Gordon (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. | www.amygordonmusic.com
The music and lyrics of Songs of Hope in Strange Times: In Times of Stasis was wri3en during the COVID-19 global pandemic of 2020-onwards and was commissioned by Westminster High School, directed by Kelly Ann Self. The overall song cycle is five movements long, with each movement reflecLng on how to find hope and meaning during strange and unknown Lmes of life. In Times of Stasis, the third movement of this song cycle, represents the sense of stasis deep in the waiLng period of the pandemic. Without being able to observe the normal markers of Lme passing, such as birthdays, school years, or holidays, Lme seemed to stand sLll as each day blended into the next. This sense of moving neither forward nor backward is reminiscent of walking in the ocean Lde, where one wave is crashing on shore and another is receding, creaLng the sense one is simply standing sLll. While it can be hard to find meaning in these staLc Lmes, perhaps just being alive and present in this moment is in itself enough.
This movement could be performed as a stand-alone piece or as part of the enLre song cycle.
Text
When you are suspended In crystallized Lme, Neither ebbing nor flowing Caught mid-crosscurrent in the Lde, It is here you simply breathe, Knowing that This. You.
It is enough.
Amy Gordon is an acLve composer, arranger, songwriter, and vocalist based in Los Angeles, CA. As a choral composer, she has worked with and been commissioned by numerous choirs, including being the composer-in-residence for Nova Vocal Ensemble. She has also scored numerous films. She has a BA in ComposiLon from Loyola Marymount University and an MM in ComposiLon from California State University, Long Beach.
About the composer:
& b b 4 Violin I Static q = 94 ? b b Vc. 9 œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ # œ æ œ æ ˙ æ w æ F F U In Times of Stasis Words & Music by Amy Gordon
From Songs of Hope in Strange Times Commissioned by Westminster High School directed by Kelly Ann Self FULL SCORE
Copyright © 2020-2023 by Amy Gordon (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. | www.amygordonmusic.com
& b b S 13 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ P A . ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . ˙ Œ 2 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& b b S 17 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w 3 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& b b S 21 ∑ Ó Œ œ P œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ Ó Ó Œ ‰ j œ 4 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& b b # S 26 œ œ œ ˙ 3 crys tal lized time, œ œ œ œ (mm) f ˙ Ó π ∑ Ó Ó -> > > U B ? # Vla. Vc. 31 ∑ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ P . . ˙ j œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ P crisply pizz. œ œ œ ˙ Ó Œ œ œ P w œ œ œ œ j œ ‰ Œ 5 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # Treble Choir 36 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ When you are sus pend ed P evenly, doubling Viola . ˙ ‰ j œ in œ œ œ ˙ crys tal lized time, ˙ Ó (mm) - - -B ? # Vla. Vc. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 40 ∑ . . ˙ j œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ P œ œ œ ˙ Ó Œ œ œ P w œ œ œ œ j œ ‰ Œ 6 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
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& ? # # Treble Vc. 48 ‰ j œ œœ œ ˙ 48 Ó Œ œ œ p p . ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ Ó ‰ j œ œ ˙ œ Ó Œ œ œ P P . ˙ Œ œ œ œ œ Ó 8 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& ? # # Treble Vc. 52 ‰ j œ œœ œ ˙ 52 Ó Œ œ œ F F w œ œ œ œ Ó w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ f Ó . Œ œ œ œ œ n Œ 3 f U > 9 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # 3 4 56 Œ œ F C j Œ œ œ Œ œ ˙ 10 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # 4 4 S 61 w ˙ Ó p ∑ molto rit. Ó Ó U 11 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # S 65 ∑ a tempo D ∑ ˙ P inhale audibly 12 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # S 70 ∑ ˙ ˙ Ó Ó inhale audibly ˙ 13 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # S 75 w F accel. ˙ Œ œ w f 14 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # S 78 ˙ Œ œ w ƒ ˙ Ó 15 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # 4 2 4 4 Treble Choir 81 Ó ¿ œ P inhale softly E Finding Peace q = 88 w w ¿ Œ exhale softly Ó ¿ œ inhale softly w w ¿ Œ Ó exhale softly B ? # Vc. Œ œ ˙ 87 w P p ˙ Œ œ . ˙ Œ w . ˙ œ œ P espress. w ˙ Œ œ p Œ œ ˙ w P p ord. ˙ Œ œ . ˙ œ œŒ w 16 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& ? # # Treble Vc. 94 Ó ˙ ˙ 94 . ˙ œ œ w w w f f ∑ w ∑ ∑ ¿ ¿ ∑ inhale and exhale as if calming yourself P 17 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
& # Treble Choir 99 Œ œœœIt is e softly as if to yourself molto rall. F w nough. a tempo Slowly recede out of texture at your own pace w w πB ? # # Vla. Vc. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 103 œ œ œ œ Œ n œ Œ Ó ∑ n Ó Ó Ó Ó U 18 In Times of Stasis (from Songs of Hope in Strange Times)
