to a stranger

to a stranger for SATB double choir a cappella

Price Walden

Program note: I have always felt a kinship to the poetry of Walt Whitman, especially his poems about strangers. There is such a beauty and imagination there that I find irresistible.

But when I originally tried to set one for this piece, nothing felt right. After much deliberation, I decided to take Whitman's frame and idea, but fill it with modern texts.

I made two lists - one of phrases beginning with the words "I am", and one with the words "You are"- which serve as the text of the piece. I took phrases from the Internet, from Whitman's poetry, from friends, and some from myself. My idea was to take these little stories- some kind of funny, some heartbreaking, some simple, some deep- and to create a space for them to live side-by-side. I wanted to give voice to all the things we really wish we would say to one another.

"Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me?

And why should I not speak to you?"

-Walt Whitman

Performance notes: The piece was written for 8 solo voices, but more can be used, if you wish. The two choirs must be equal.

The tempo should be very fluid throughout. Don't worry about strictness.

It's more important that each of the phrases are allowed to breathe and move of their own accord.

Don't be afraid to let the silences linger.

To a stranger Price Walden spacious qd = c 70

Soprano

Alto

Choir 1 Tenor

Bass

Soprano

Alto

Choir 2 Tenor

Bass

# 12 & # 8 Ó. # # 12 . & 8 Ó

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beau - ti - ful

beau - ti - ful

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

Ó.



You are

good e - nough

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# 12 V # 8

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# # 12 & 8

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© Price Walden 2015 All Rights Reserved

œ. am

œ.

am

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4

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at

œ ˙

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at

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at

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at

I

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To a stranger

14

52

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are go - ing to

for this

hell

œ œ œ œ ˙ are go - ing to

hell

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hell

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are go - ing to

hell

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for this

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for this

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for this

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for this

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hell

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hell

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hell

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am go - ing to

hell

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for this

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for this

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for this

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



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in an

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a - bu - sive re - la - tion - ship

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a - bu - sive re - la - tion - ship

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



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





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

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scared

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



˙.

˙.

I

am

Ó.

œ. œ.

I

am

To a stranger

16

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w.

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are

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not near - ly scared

œ œ œ ˙ not near - ly scared

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˙.

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am

w.

I

I

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





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



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ta - king sides

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

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nough

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