Piano/Vocal Score
Keane Southard
A Day of Sunshine A
Cantata for
Chorus and
Orchestra Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(2009) (Duration: c. 15 mins.)
Program notes: A Day of Sunshine for Chorus and Orchestra was begun in June of 2009 and completed in December of the same year. The work is written for and dedicated to the Longfellow Chorus of Portland, Maine and Charles Kaufmann, director. I joined my college's chorus in my first year in college, after not singing since I was a young boy. I will forever be thankful that the first work I sung in was Ralph Vaughan Williams's beautiful and powerful “Sea Symphony”, which I completely fell in love with and spurred my continued interest in works for chorus and orchestra. I later also sung in Bach's “St. Matthew Passion” and “Mass in B minor”, as well as William Bolcom's massive “Songs of Innocence and of Experience”. My work sets three poems of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, namely, “Daybreak”, “A Day of Sunshine”, and “Sundown”. The entire work is named after the middle poem, as the three poems combine to tell the story of an entire day. In “Daybreak”, we follow a joyful wind that awakens the world to the new, promising, and beautiful day, but its final line hints that all may not be as perfect as it seems. The middle movement, “A Day of Sunshine” is entirely a song of thanks for being alive and the gift of life in the beauty of the natural world. Again the wind returns to uplift the feelings and words of the singers. Since moving to Boulder, Colorado in the middle of working on this piece, the amazing imagery and lines of poetry in this poem have taken on special meaning for me. I will now always associate the lines “Whose steep sierra far uplifts,/Its craggy summits white with drifts” with hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park and being amongst some of the most beautiful natural creations the earth has made. Ever since singing in the “Sea Symphony”, I realized how powerfully a chorus and orchestra could illuminate these words. Whitman's lines “Finally shall come the poet worthy that name,/The true son of God shall come singing.” are unimpressive sitting on a piece of paper, but when Vaughan Williams liberated them into the voices and instruments for his Symphony, I was so moved by its power. I hope that I have accomplished the same thing in this song,
especially during the lines “Blow winds! and waft through all the rooms/The snowflakes of the cherry blooms!/Blow winds! and bend within my reach/The fiery blossoms of the peach!” I hope that when hearing my setting of these lines listeners will feel like they are standing on the top of a mountain looking over the world, as if the wind would lift them of their feet and sweep them back into being a real part of the beautiful natural world that we came from. The final line asks, and challenges, the listener to do just that. The final poem, “Sundown” depicts the sun's beautiful disappearance at the end of the day. It reminds us that not all is perfect; that we still must take the good with the bad. We still have so much work to do and progress to make in creating a beautiful world and life for all. Nevertheless, we should be thankful for the beautiful day we have been blessed with today. I am extremely grateful to the Longfellow Chorus and Charles Kaufmann for the opportunity to write this work and have it performed. I must say that I have never had a performance of a work for full chorus or full orchestra, and my first for either is for them together! I really wonder how many composers can say that! Keane Southard 2009
Text: 1. Daybreak
And said, “O bird, awake and sing.”
A wind came up out of the sea, And said, “O mists, make room for me.” It hailed the ships, and cried, “Sail on, Ye mariners, the night is gone.” And hurried landward far away, Crying, “Awake! it is the day.” It said unto the forest, “Shout! Hang all your leafy banners out!” It touched the wood-birds folded wing,
And o’er the farms, “O chanticleer, Your clarion blow; the day is near.” It whispered to the fields of corn, “Bow down, and hail the coming morn.” It shouted through the belfry-tower, “Awake, O bell! proclaim the hour.” It crossed the churchyard with a sigh, And said, “Not yet! in quiet lie.”
2. A Day of Sunshine O gift of God! O perfect day: Whereon shall no man work, but play; Whereon it is enough for me, Not to be doing, but to be! Through every fibre of my brain, Through every nerve, through every vein, I feel the electric thrill, the touch Of life, that seems almost too much. I hear the wind among the trees Playing celestial symphonies; I see the branches downward bent, Like keys of some great instrument. And over me unrolls on high The splendid scenery of the sky, Where through a sapphire sea the sun Sails like a golden galleon, Towards yonder cloud-land in the West, Towards yonder Islands of the Blest, Whose steep sierra far uplifts Its craggy summits white with drifts. Blow, winds! and waft through all the rooms The snow-flakes of the cherry-blooms! Blow, winds! and bend within my reach The fiery blossoms of the peach!
O Life and Love! O happy throng Of thoughts, whose only speech is song! O heart of man! canst thou not be Blithe as the air is, and as free?
3. Sundown The summer sun is sinking low; Only the tree-tops redden and glow: Only the weathercock on the spire Of the neighboring church is a flame of fire; All is in shadow below. O beautiful, awful summer day, What hast thou given, what taken away? Life and death, and love and hate, Homes made happy or desolate, Hearts made sad or gay! On the road of life one mile-stone more! In the book of life one leaf turned o’er! Like a red seal is the setting sun On the good and the evil men have done,— Naught can to-day restore!
Keane Southard/Spindrift Pages Email: keane.southard@hotmail.com Website: keanesouthard.instantencore.com
For the Longfellow Chorus
"A Day of Sunshine" for Chorus and Orchestra
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Piano Reduction
q = 100
11
Pno.
p 3
p
p
3
pp
q = 100
7
Pno.
3
p
3
3
p
p
©2009
3
p
p
3
p
p
3
3
Keane Southard
I. Daybreak
3
p
3
3
3
2
f
14
S.
A.
T.
B.
f
A
wind
f
A
Pno.
wind
wind
came up
out of the
sea
came up
out of the
sea
came up
out of the
out of the
came up
sea
sea
A 6 6 3 3 3 6
3
3
19
A.
T.
f
pp
S.
B.
wind
f
A
A
A
And
said,
"O
mists,
make
And
said,
"O
And
said,
"O
mists,
make
"O
And
said,
mists,
mists,
make
make
room
for
room
room
room
for
for
for
Pno.
6
6
p
3 23 S.
B.
me."
A.
me."
T.
me."
me."
Pno.
f
6 6
26
S.
A.
T.
B.
6
ff
3 6 6 3 3 3 3 3
accel.
B
q = 120 mp
Pno.
3
accel.
It hailed
the ships,
and cried,
ships,
the
It hailed
the
ships,
It hailed
q = 120
the ships,
"Sail
on,
It hailed
mp
p 3 3 3 3
mp
B 3
mp
and
cried,
"Sail
on,
and cried,
"Sail
on,
and
"Sail
on,
cried,
p 3
3
4
S. 32
A.
T.
B.
3
3
hur
And mf
B.
Pno.
f
Ye
mar
-
-
i - ners,
the
night
is
mf
the
night
is
mf
the
night
is
the
night
is
hur
And
hur
gone."
mp
gone."
mp
gone." mp
gone."
p
ried
land
-
ried
land
-
-
ried
land
ried
land
- ward
- ward
- ward
- ward
far
a
far
a
far
a
far
a
-
Cry ing,
p
-
way,
Cry ing,
f
way,
Cry ing,
p
f
way,
Cry ing,
-
f
p
-
f
way,
dim.
C
p
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 f
mp
mf
And
i - ners,
p
hur
mf
-
And
-
mp
mf
36
T.
-
S.
A.
mar
mf
Ye
Pno.
f
C
5
p
cresc.
40
S.
’ rit.
ff
"A - wake!
A.
T.
is
the
"A - wake!
it
is
the
ff
ff
Pno.
q = 80
S. 45
ff
day."
day."
T.
B.
the
f
It
A.
the
q. = 100
rit.
is
D
accel.
it
’
is
ff
it
"A - wake!
it
"A - wake!
B.
5
f
It
day."
day."
D q = 80
Pno.
q. = 100
accel.
sf
f
sf
sf
mf
3
3
3
6
S. 49
said
A.
said
T.
B.
thefor - est,
un - to
thefor - est
"Shout!"
(t)
f
(t)
Hang all
your lea - fy
ban - ners out."
f
"Shout!"
Hang all
your
lea - fy
ban -
sf
A.
T.
sf
ff
ners out."
52
Pno.
fp
S.
B.
fp
un - to
Pno.
sf
It
touched
the
wood - bird's
f
It
touched
the
wood - bird's
f
f
f
wing,
And
fold - ed
wing,
And
fold - ed
3
7
55
S.
poco rit.
A tempo
f
And
A.
mp said, "O Bird, a - wake and a - wake and sing."
B. ff
said,
"O Bird,
a - wake and
a - wake
A tempo
o'er
A.
o'er
B.
Pno.
f
cleer,
f blow; the day
is
near
f is
near
f
ff
Your clar - ion
ff
Your clar - ion
the farms, "O chan - ti -
blow; the day
near
f
the farms, "O chan - ti - cleer,
T.
mp
ff
sing."
E 57 S.
gliss.
f
poco rit.
Pno.
f
and
f
And
ff
T.
E
sf
sf
sf
f near
ff
f
poco rit.
8
S. 60
cresc. gliss.
cresc.
A.
fff
fff
gliss.
gliss.
fff
cresc.
cresc.
B.
T.
A tempo
fff
poco rit.
Pno.
ff
cresc.
S.
F
q = 58
p It
T.
Pno.
A.
B.
fff
63
A tempo
F q = 58
pp
p
9 67
S.
p
It
A.
p
legato
It
whis - pered to
whis- pered to the
legato
T.
B.
the
fields of
Pno.
70
S.
whis- pered to
p
fields
of
legato
A.
mp
"Bow
"Bow down, and mp
T.
B.
down, and
Pno.
hail
the
com - ing
fields of
corn,
corn,
whis - pered to
the
fields of
hail
the
hail
the
down, and
hail
the
com - ing
com - ing morn."
p
mf It
morn."
mf
It
morn."
morn."
com - ing
"Bow
mp
mp
corn,
"Bow down, and
the
legato
corn,
It
legato
mf
It mf
It
mp
10
S. 73
shout - ed through the bel - fry
A.
T.
B.
shout - ed through the bel - fry
Pno.
76 S.
A.
B.
the
the
the
pro - claim
pro - claim
bell!
Pno.
pro - claim
3
3
the
O
O
wake,
O
wake,
f
O
3
3
3
3
ff
hour."
ff
hour."
ff
hour."
ff
hour."
3
ff
-
wake,
3
3
-
-
3 3
bell!
T.
pro - claim
f
"A
wake,
f
"A
bell!
tower,
bell!
"A
tower,
cresc.
-
f
tower,
shout - ed through the bel - fry
"A
f
tower,
shout - ed through the bel - fry
3
3
3
78
S.
n
G poco rubato p
It
A.
n
crossed the
p
It
T.
B.
n
n
Pno.
3
3
3
3
S. 83
pp
mf
yet!
in
qui - et
pp yet!
in
qui - et
crossed the
church - yard
crossed the
church - yard
G poco rubato 3
3
p
pp
n
with a
sigh,
And said, "Not
with a
sigh,
And said, "Not
mp
with a mp
sigh,
a
sigh,
And said, "Not
And said, "Not
p
p
lie."
mf
A.
mp
p
It
church - yard
11
mp
n
lie."
yet!
mf B.
mf
T.
yet!
Pno.
mp
89
Pno.
pp
ppp
ppp
rall.
ff
p
attacca
II. A Day of Sunshine
Keane Southard
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
q = 58 p
Soprano
O gift of
p
O gift of
O per - fect
Tenor
mp
p
mp
O per - fect
day
God!
p
mp
p
mp
O gift of
God!
p
(a cappella) p
O per - fect
q = 58
mp
A.
T.
B.
mp
day
p
7
S.
mp
mp
Pno.
day
O gift of God! O per fect day p
Piano reduction
God!
Alto
Bass
mp p
mp
mp
A
mf
Where- on shall no man
work
mf
Where- on shall no man work
play;
mf
Where- on shall no man work
but
Where- on shall no man work
p
mf
but
play; p
but
play;
p
but
play;
A
mf
q=104 p
q=104
mp
Where- on it
nough for me,
mp
is
e-
Not to be
12
S.
ff
but
T.
to
ff
to
but
be!
ff
mf
to
be!
B. mf
do - ing
but
to
be!
13
mf
B
mf
but
A.
ff
be!
B
Pno.
mf
ff
f
19
Pno.
mf
ff
f
16
Pno.
f
C
14 22
S.
mf
Through eve- ry
A.
fi - bre of
my
brain,
B.
Pno.
ff
mf
mf
nerve
mf
nerve, through
eve
- ry
vein,
mp
f
thrill,
mf
f
I feel the e - lec - tric
mf
thrill,
f
Of life, that
f
Of life, that
f
Of life, that
f
the touch
f
the touch
f
through eve - ry vein,
the touch
the touch
f
thrill,
C
I feel the e - lec - tric
Pno.
brain,
Through eve- ry
I feel the e - lec - tric
B.
my
mf
26
T.
fi - bre of
Through eve-ry
S.
A.
mp
Through eve -ry
T.
Of life, that
15 30
S.
seems
seems
T.
seems
seems
al -
most
A.
B.
too
al -
most
al -
most
al -
most
too
much.
much.
too
much.
too
much.
Pno.
32
S.
D
7
mp
7
pp
f
(shh)
A.
mp
I
T.
B.
the
wind
a - mong the trees
pp
f
(shh)
Pno.
hear
mp
Play- ing ce - les - tial
sym - pho - nies;
ff mp
D
16 36
p S.
Oo
p
A.
B.
Pno.
mp I see the branch- es
40
f S. f
f
T.
down - ward
bent,
mf
me
un - rolls
mp
Like keys of some great in - stru ment.
mf
The splen - did scen- er - y
mf
And o - ver
me
f
B.
un - rolls
f
mf
the sky,
mf The splen - did scen- er - y
Pno.
of
on high
on high
mp
Like keys of some great in - stru ment.
And o - ver
A.
mp
Like keys of some great in - stru ment.
Like keys of some great in - stru ment.
Oo
T.
mp
of
the sky,
17 44
S.
mf
Sails like a
mf
T.
B.
A.
Where through a
sap - phi - re
sea
the sun
gol - den
gal - le - on,
mf
gol - den
gal - le - on,
mf
gol - den
gal - le - on,
mf
Sails like a
gol - den
gal - le - on,
Pno.
E 48
S.
T.
Pno.
f
Towards
yon - der
f
A.
B.
gliss.
f
Towards
gliss.
cloud - land in
yon - der
Towards
yon - der
f
Towards
yon - der
f
the West,
f
f
f
the West,
cloud - land in
E
f
18 51
S.
Is - lands
A.
T.
B.
Pno.
T.
B.
of
the Blest,
si
er - ra
-
far
er - ra
up lifts
far
up lifts
rit.
ff
f
sum - mits white ff
with drifts.
sum - mits white
with drifts.
ff
white
-
f
si
sum - mits white
with drifts.
ff
f
with drifts.
rit.
f
Whose steep
Its crag - gy
Pno.
Whose steep
f
Its crag - gy
A.
the Blest,
of
54
S.
f
Is - lands
f
q = 92 fff
57
S.
Blow! fff
A.
Blow! fff
T.
B.
Blow! fff
19
rit.
Blow!
Pno.
q = 92
ff
ff
Blow,
Blow, ff
Blow, ff
B.
winds!
ff
T.
rit.
q = 100
S. A.
F 61
and
winds!
winds!
Blow,
and
and
winds!
and
F q = 100
Pno.
fff
5
5
5
5
5
ff
5
5
5
20
S.
63
waft
A.
waft
T.
B.
through
all
through
all
waft
through
waft
through
the
the
all
the
all
the
rooms
rooms
rooms
rooms
Pno.
5
5
65
S. Blow,
A.
5
B.
5
5
winds!
Blow,
winds!
Blow,
The
The
5
winds!
Blow,
T.
5
5
winds!
snow - flakes
snow - flakes
The
snow - flakes
The
snow - flakes
5 5 5 5 5
Pno.
5
5
5
67
S.
of
A.
T.
B.
the
cher
-
ry -
blooms!
of
the
cher
-
ry -
blooms!
of
the
cher
-
blooms!
of
the
cher
-
blooms!
ry -
ry -
5 5
Pno.
5
G
69
S.
Blow,
A.
Blow,
T.
B.
Blow,
winds!
5
and bend
with- in
with- in
my reach
5
my reach
with- in
my reach
with- in
5
5
and bend
winds!
and bend
and bend
winds!
G ff
winds!
Blow,
Pno.
5
21
my reach
Blow,
A.
B.
B.
Life
and
O
Life
and
O
Life
and
ff
O
Life
and
ff
the peach!
blos - soms of
The fier - y
ff
blos - soms of
the peach!
blos - soms of
the peach!
blos - soms of
The fier - y
O
T.
q = 80
H ff S. 77
A.
The fier - y
winds!
Blow,
Pno.
winds!
The fier - y
winds!
Blow,
winds!
Blow,
T.
molto rall.
the peach!
molto rall. s.
S.
73
gli s
22
Love!
Love!
Love!
Love!
H
Pno.
gli ss.
q = 80
ff
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5
O
hap
79
S.
A.
T.
-
py
O
hap
-
py
hap
py
O
B.
-
O
hap
-
5
throng
throng
Of
throng
5
5
Of
5
5
5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5
S. 81
thoughts,
A.
thoughts,
thoughts,
T.
B.
Of
py
5
Of
Pno.
throng
23
thoughts,
whose
on
whose
on
whose
on
whose
on
-
-
-
-
ly
speech
is
ly
speech
is
ly
speech
is
ly
speech
is
Pno.
5
5
5
5
5
5 5 5 5 5
24
82
S.
(q=40)
molto rall.
A.
song!
B.
molto rall.
Pno.
5
5
5
5
5 5 5 5
man!
A.
man!
T.
man!
B.
canst thou
Pno.
not
be
O heart fff
of
O fff
of
heart
I O heart of q = 66 Rubato
(q=40)
fff
a cappella
q = 40 ffff free?
and as Blithe as the air is and as free?
attacca
ffff
and free? as Blithe as the air is canst thou not be as free? and ffff Blithe as the air is and as free? canst thou
not
be
man!
of
molto rall. 85 S.
O heart fff
song!
fff
song!
T.
q = 66 Rubato
song!
I
canst thou
not
be
Blithe as the
air
is
and
ffff
as
molto rall.
free?
q = 40
ffff
attacca
pp
III. Sundown
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Soprano
q = 40
Keane Southard
p
expressionless
The sum- mer sun is sink- ing low;
Alto
p
The sum- mer sun is sink- ing low;
Tenor
Bass
On -
expressionless
p
p
On -
expressionless p
On - ly the tree - tops redd'n and glow:
expressionless p
On - ly the tree - tops redd'n and glow:
q = 40
Piano reduction
7
S.
mp
p
p
expressionless
mp
ly the weath'r - cock on the
expressionless
p
spire
ly the weath'r - cock on the
T.
B.
spire
sha - dow be-
pp
All
is in
sha - dow be-
pp
is in
pp
Of the neigh - b'ring church is a flame of
rall.
All
Of the neigh - b'ring church is a flame of
Pno.
pp
p
expressionless
A.
mp
p
fire;
fire;
mp
All
All
is in
is in
sha - dow be-
sha - dow be-
rall.
p
A 12
S.
q = 72
low.
A.
low.
T.
B.
Pno.
mp
3
O
beau - ti - ful,
aw - ful sum- mer day,
mf
aw - ful sum- mer day,
mf
O
beau - ti - ful,
aw - ful sum- mer day,
mf
3
mp
What has thou
A.
T.
B.
Pno.
3
3
mf
giv
What has thou
giv -
mp
mp
3 3 3 f
mf
What has thou
mp
What has thou
3
mf
but full
18
S.
aw - ful sum- mer day,
beau - ti - ful,
beau - ti - ful,
O
q = 72
O
low.
A
3
3
mf
low.
26
mf
giv
mf
giv -
3
mf
-
-
gliss.
en,
en,
gliss. -
en,
en,
27
S.
3
what tak - en
A.
T.
B.
3
3
what tak - en
Pno.
a -
f
a -
f
a -
gliss.
Life
A.
Life
B.
T.
Pno.
mp
dolce
and
love
and
hate,
mp
and
ff
f
and
mf
f
and
hate,
mf
f
and
hate,
mf
3
n
n
n
n
mp
Homes made
mp
Homes made
hate,
death,
ff
love
ff
f
dolce
death,
3
and
f
3
3 3
3
and
and
B
and
3
way?
f
B S.
gliss.
3
way?
way?
24
way?
3
gliss.
f
what tak - en
a -
what tak - en
f
21
3
hap - py
or
hap - py
or
mp
28
30
S.
n
n
3
rall.
q = 50
de - so- late,
3
A.
de - so- late,
T.
B.
mp
Hearts made
mp
sad
3
Pno.
35
S.
A.
T.
B.
gay!
or
gay!
cresc. p q = 50
rall.
C
f
full
On the
road of life
one mile - stone
f
f full
book of life
one leaf
life one mile - stone
f
more
turned
The
C
In the
road of
full
f full
more!
The
Pno.
or
sad
mp
p
p
Hearts made
29
S.
39
o'er!
A.
Pno.
book
of
o'er!
Like
a
f
full
The
book
life one leaf turned
a
Like
T.
B.
full
Like
of
life
a
red
seal
is the set - ting
ff
red
seal
is the set - ting
ff
red
seal
is the set - ting
ff
one leaf turned
ff
o'er!
ff
(q=32)
rit. 42
S.
f
sun
sun
B.
red
rit.
Pno.
good and
seal
the
done,
e - vil men have
good and
f
the
done,
On the
On the
sun
T.
On the
f
A.
the
good and
is the
set - ting sun
e - vil men have
e - vil men have
done,
men
p
have
done
to -
p
Naught can
to -
Naught can
Naught can
mf
p
p
to -
to -
day
re -
day
day
re -
day
re -
re -
pp f
(q=32)
30
D q = 56 pp 47
S.
store!
A.
pp
store!
store! pp
T.
B.
pp
store!
D q = 56
Pno.
Pno.
3
A tempo
3
fff
3
3
3
3
rit.
ff
54
Pno.
pp
51
ffff