Shelter This Candle - Seafarer Press...Elizabeth Alexander Seafarer Press arerpress.com SEA-080-00...

Elizabeth Alexander

Seafarer Presswww.seafarerpress.com

SEA-080-00 $12.00

Shelter This CandleEdna St. Vincent Millay

SATB, oboe, horn, cello, harp

~ CONDUCTOR’S SCORE ~

To the Wife of a Sick Friend

Shelter this candle from the wind.Hold it steady. In its lightThe cave wherein we wander lostGlitters with frosty stalactite,Blossoms with mineral rose and lotus,Sparkles with crystal moon and star,Till a man would rather be lost than found:We have forgotten where we are.

Shelter this candle. Shrewdly blowingDown the cave from a secret doorEnters our only foe, the wind.Hold it steady. Lest we stand,Each in a sudden, separate dark,The hot wax spattered upon your hand,The smoking wick in my nostrils strong,The inner eyelid red and greenFor a moment yet with moons and roses,—Then the unmitigated dark.

Alone, alone in a terrible place,In utter dark without a face,With only the dripping of the water on the stone,And the sound of your tears, and the taste of my own.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay(q. = 66)

SCORE IN C

Commissioned by VOICES Chorale, Music Director Lyn Ransom

for SATB choir, oboe, horn, cello and harpElizabeth Alexander

Shelter This Candle

Violoncello

Choir (Tutti)

pizz. lightly

MMMOMMMM

hold teeth and lips gently apart, exhale deeplypp

pp mp pp

Choir (Tutti)

o- oo- o- oo- - o- oo- o- - - - - - oo o- oo- o- -

oo- o- oo- o- - - oo o- oo- o

- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- -

oo- o- oo- o- - - oo o- oo- o

- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- -

mf f mf

ter- this

Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous

web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael

deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey,

poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer

B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher,

composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web

designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa,

composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet

B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf

Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven

Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John

Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood,

poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret &

George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B

Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray

Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet

B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer

B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike,

proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill,

composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher

B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen,

artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald

Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B

Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B

Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner,

composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents

B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis,

composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B

Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet

B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet

B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper,

technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet

B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller

B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J.

David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

A COMPLETE PERUSAL COPY MAY BE PURCHASED

FROM ELIZABETH ALEXANDER AT

Seafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer Presswww.seafarerpress.com

A LOT OF HARD WORK &CREATIVITY

WENT INTO BRINGING

THIS MUSIC TO YOU...

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

dle,- - - - -

ter- this

can dle- - from the

a- o- a- o- a-

nondiv. pp

a- o- a- o- a-

p mf p

mp mf p

p bisbigliando Bb

ter- this can

nondiv.

dle- from the

ter- this can dle- from the

a- o- a- o- a- o

B§ Gb Bb

Hold it stead y,-

a- o- a

- o- a- o-

a o- a- -

a- o- a

- o- a- o-

a o- a- -

( MNLOMMLM )

Hold it stead y,-

it stead

y,- - - Hold

it stead

y,- - - Hold

it stead

y.- - - - -

it stead

y.- - - - -

light the cave where in- we wan der,-

its light the cave where in- we wan - der,

mp( LMLOLMLL )

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

WENT INTO BRINGING

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

ters,- glit ters- with

frost y- sta lac- tite,-

Change pedals from LMLOLMLL to NNMOMNNM

Tuttimp

soms- with min er- al- rose, and

soms- with min er- - al- rose, and

er- al- rose and

( G§ C§ D§ >)

G§ C§ D§

gliss.

( MMMOMNMM )

p G# A#

kles- with crys tal- moon and star, 'Til a

gliss.

F§ G§ A§

( MMMOMMMM )

man would rath er- be lost, 'til a man would rath er- be lost,

gliss.gliss.

gliss.

( MMMOMMMM )

( MNMOMNMM )

we would rath er- be lost

we would rath er- be lost we would rath er- be lost

we would rath er- be lost

than found.

full of awe

We have for got- ten- where we are,

full of awe

niente

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

WENT INTO BRINGING

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

ter- this

gliss.gliss. gliss.

( MNMOMNMM )

dle,- - - - -

a- o- a- o- a- o- a- o- a

- o- a- o- a- o- a- o- a- o- a- o- a- - o- a- o-

arco flautando, sul tasto

( MNMOMNMM )

Shrewd

ly- blow ing-

o i- - - - - o- i- o- i- - - - - - - -

down the cave from a se cret- door

o i- o-

niente

ters- our on

ly- - -

en ters- our on

ly- - -

( MNMOLNMN )

o- i- o- i- - - - o-

foe, the

o- i- o- i- - - - o- the

a- o- a- o- a- o- a

- - - - o- a- o- - -

a- o- a- o- a- o- a

- - - - o- a- o- - -

wind, Hold

it stead y,- Hold it

wind, Hold

A§ Bb

191 rallentando molto

- - -o- a- o- Hold

it stead - -

a- - - o- a- o- Hold

it stead - -

stead y,-

it stead - -

stead y,-

it stead - -

pp p pp

( MNLOLNMM )

niente

pesante

mf pesante

pesante

D a tempo196

stand each in a sud den,- sep

a- rate- dark,

whispered: mp

den,- se

par- ate,-

stand each in a sud den,- sep

a- rate- dark,

hold teeth and lips gently apart, exhale deeply pp

f C# E§ F§ Gb

[o i- o- i- o- i- o]-

[o i- o- i- - o]-

hot (t) wax (x) spat tered- up on- your hand,

C# E§ F§ Gb

MNLOMMLM

smok ing- - wick in my nos trils- - strong,

G# C§

LMLOMMNM

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

WENT INTO BRINGING

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

mo ment- yet with moon and ros

warmly mp

with moon and ro ses,-

warmly mp

with moon and ro ses,-

MMLOLNMM

D§ A§ mf

the un mit- i- ga- ted- dark, the un

warmly

play low on strings (not quite pres de la table )

MMLONNMM

F§ E§ C#

lone,- a lone- in a ter ri- ble-

lone,-

mit i- ga- ted- dark,

lone,-

mit i- ga- ted- dark,

sul pont. (gradually accelerate into unmeasured tremolos)

MNLOMMLM

place,

lone,-

niente

lone,-

niente

ut ter-

pp sotto voce

a- o- a- o- a- - o- a- o- a- o- a- o]-

dark, with out- a face,

niente

lonely

p C§ B§ Eb

on ly- the drip ping- on the

MMMOLMLM

stone and the sound of your tears, and the

con sordino

gliss.

G§ Ab

of my own

gliss.

Gb A§

gliss.

MMMOLMLM

gliss.

ter- this

Bb E§ C# G§

( MNLOMMMM )

can dle,- - - - -

ter- this

can dle,- - - - -

ter- this

gliss.

can dle,- - - - - - -

gliss.

stead y,- hold it

stead y,- hold

stead y,- hold it

it stead y,- hold it

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

WENT INTO BRINGING

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

sul tasto, flautando

ter- this can

dle,- - - - -

ter- this can

dle,- - - - -

o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o-

oo- o-

o- oo- o- oo- o- oo- o-

oo- o-

ter- this

gliss.

dle,- - - - -

mp mf pp

gliss.

mp sing to the other soloist, or directly to the audience

stead y,-

stead y.- -

arco: change bow discreetly

p bisbigliando

stead y,-

stead y.-

stead y,-

stead y,- stead y,-

stead y.-

y,- - -

stead y,- -

stead y.-

stead y.- -

stead y,-

niente

mp niente

Breathe slowly and deeply, listening carefully:

mp niente

Breathe slowly and deeply, listening carefully:

Composer’s Notes:

Before I composed a single note of Shelter This Candle, I already knew several things about thepiece. I knew that the poem spoke of love’s ability to transform even the darkest moments of ourlives into times of comfort, connection and wonderment. I loved the delicious images that thepoem offered: light, darkness, exhilaration, loneliness, and the sounds of wind and falling tears. The combination of harp, oboe, horn, cello and choir was nothing short of luscious.

What I did not imagine was how Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem would enter my consciousnessso deeply.

I composed the first section of Shelter This Candle with a light heart. Crafting the brilliantunderground world of “crystal moon and star” was a delight for me, full of “child in a candyshop” moments. After about ten days of composing, satisfied with my work thus far, I laid thesong aside for several weeks in order to complete an orchestra piece.

Little did I know what was in store for me when I returned to face the second half of the poem,and the entrance of “our only foe, the wind.” On some level, I had lost track of the importanceof the poem’s title: “To the Wife Of a Sick Friend”! Oh yes, I remembered. This poem is abouthow we respond to the most difficult times of life, when we could easily become overwhelmed bygrief or despair. During times like these, leaving the cave is not an option.

Every day, as I worked on the second, darker section of the piece, those words repeatedthemselves to me — leaving the cave is not an option. The conclusion of the song needed apalpable sense of how dreadfully lonely the darkness can become if we allow the light of ourlove to be extinguished. I took many walks, and reminded myself to breathe. One day, Isuddenly understood the exact significance of the last line of the poem: if the candle is allowedto go out, the poet will be able to taste her own tears, but she will only be able to hear herfriend’s tears, echoing somewhere out in the dark space, far away.

After the final words of the poem had been set to music, there was still something more to say,but it took me a long time to figure out exactly how to conclude this song. The answer lay, onceagain, in the poem’s title: “To the Wife Of a Sick Friend.” Of course, I thought. We are, all ofus in the whole world, in this big earthly cave together. But in the poem itself, there are only twosolitary characters: Edna and her friend’s wife, holding one candle between them, singing toeach other with everything in their hearts: “Steady, steady, steady...”

- E.A.April 13, 2008

Shelter This Candle - Seafarer Press...Elizabeth Alexander Seafarer Press arerpress.com SEA-080-00...

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