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Program Notes Ralph Waldo Emerson’s text “Write it on Your Heart” explores the philosophy of carpe diem, meaning “seize the day”. Emerson’s words describe how we as humans should do our best to let go of our “frets and anxieties” and live in the moment, as if every day were “the best day in the year”. The music reflects the text, with tense harmonies and dark textures describing the troublesome thoughts and “old nonsense” that plague us when living in the past or worrying about the future. The phrase “forget them as soon as you can” is ironically repeated and held, emphasizing how easy it is to dwell on the bad things that have happened, and the new harmonies on “tomorrow is a new day” bring light and hope for a fresh start into the sound— which is immediately followed by a “fresh start” in a reprise of the opening line of text. The piece takes the listener on a journey of emotion as Emerson offers his advice on how to achieve happiness by taking every moment as an opportunity to enjoy the gift of life.
About the Composer Marjorie Halloran, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, is a composer, singer, and songwriter. She is the co-founder of the choral workshop program for composition students at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier, VT, where she received her MFA in composition with an emphasis in songwriting. Marjorie has studied with Michael Early, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Don DiNicola, Abbie Betinis, and Alice Parker. Marjorie's compositions have been performed by Chorus Austin and Inversion Ensemble; Schola Cantorum of Los Altos, CA; Resounding Achord of San Jose, CA; WomenSing of Orinda, CA, and multiple ensembles at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has arranged for Homestead High School, Los Altos United Methodist Church, and Willow Glen United Methodist Church, among others. She is the winner of the 2015-16 WomenSing "Youth Inspiring Youth" choral composition competition, and her piece "8 Ways to Look at a Window" was premiered in June 2016. She was also a finalist for the I Kromatika composition competition in 2015, and a semi-finalist for the American Prize in Composition (choral division) in 2018. An accomplished choral singer in addition to composer, Marjorie has performed with many different ensembles in the Bay Area, as well as in Princeton, New York City, and the University of California at Davis, where she received her BA in music theory/composition. She currently sings with Chorus Austin and Inversion Ensemble of Austin, TX. Marjorie released her debut pop album, Ready For Anything, in 2015, featuring a variety of songs written during her studies at VCFA. She currently resides in Austin while continuing to work with VCFA. www.marjoriehalloran.com This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Write it on Your Heart Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Marjorie Halloran
P
q = 70
& 44
Soprano
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w
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P
& 44
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Write it
on your heart
Write it
on your heart
q = 70
for rehearsal only
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Duration: aprox to 4'15" This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com purchase performance copies.
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4
Write it on your heart
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13
S
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A
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
3 4 3 4
5
Write it on your heart
& 43 œ b œ œ
30
S
˙
U
dim.
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j œ #˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
a
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cresc.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
For
-
œ
œ
œ
œ
˙
new
day;
˙
˙
new
day;
œ œ œ œ ˙ a
as
new - day;
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P ˙
œ . Jœ ˙
˙
day;
œ
new
˙
day;
œœ .. ˙
j œ ˙ ˙˙
˙
˙
6
Write it on your heart
F
&Œ œ œ œ
46
S
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A
&Œ
F
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T
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B
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& Œ œ œ œ F 46 ˙ ? Œ
52
& bw -
non
A
& bw -
non
T
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non
B
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non 52
& b b ww 52 ? b ww
it
3
3
gin
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˙.
it
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sense.
b w-
∑
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∑ ∑
G.P.
sense.
b b wwb b ww
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∑
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a
spi - rit
to be
f œ ˙
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too high
a
∑
spi - rit
Œ
b œœ œ
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f
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w
on your heart
pœ œ œ œ
on your heart
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on your heart
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f f
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rit.
3
that
ww
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68 ˙ .
cum - bered with
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3
cum - bered with your
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cum - bered with your rit.
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bœ
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3
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˙.
is the
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ev - ery - day
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68 ˙ .
is the
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that
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old
3
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-
3
3
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w
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w
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œ p œ
˙˙ ˙
on your heart
p œ œ œ œ
a tempo
to be
too high to be
˙.
p
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bœ œ ˙ Œ
∑
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sense.
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b ww
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sense.
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well
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it
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3
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3
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gin
dim.
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˙
well and se - rene - ly,
dim.
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dim.
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˙
well and se - rene - ly,
œ
46
S
it
œ œ œ œ œ
f
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
œ . œ Jœ 44 is the
œ . œ œ 44 J
day
is the
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j œœ œœ 44
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7
Write it on your heart
& 44 œ ˙
60
S
best
A
in the
œ œ
day
in the
V 44 œ ˙ best
B
day
& 44 œ ˙ best
T
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day
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60
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60
day
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in the
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˙.
& 68 œ œJ Jœ œ
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66
S
˙.
jj V 68 œ œ œ œ
in - vi - ta - tions,
B
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66
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year.
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π
day
This new
day
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4
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to waste a
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mo - ment
mo - ment
f U œ ‰ œ- œ- œ- 44 ˙
˙
mo - ment
molto rubato
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˙˙ ˙ ˙
with
its
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cresc.
dear,
with
˙
its
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œ
hopes
and
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œ
hopes
and
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3
is too
˙
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day
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dear,
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3
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to waste a
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day
3
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3
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Ó
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66
Œ
year.
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to waste a
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in - vi - ta - tions,
A
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dear,
with
˙
its
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and
œ
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œ
with
its
hopes
and
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œ
œ
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dear,
b ˙˙˙
cresc.
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œ
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yes
45 ˙ .
on
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the
yes
45 . ˙
ter
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45 ˙ .
˙
on
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on
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˙˙ ˙˙
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-
-
-
ter
-
˙
-
ter
45 ˙˙ .. -
45
˙
˙˙ ..
˙. 45 ˙˙ ..
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œ œ
˙˙
ter
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙
-
-
44 U w
days.
44 U U ˙ ˙ days.
44 U w
days.
44 U w ( w)
days.
44 U U w˙ ˙ U 44 ww
68 68 68 68 68 68
8
Write it on your heart
Write it on Your Heart Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.
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