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In country sleep a setting of the poem by Dylan Thomas; for tenor, clarinet, violin, viola, double-bass and piano
RSN:
62427
|
Composition Date:
1956
|
Revision Date:
N/A
|
Duration:
Not Provided
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Library Record
Programme Notes
Copies
Cataloguing Information
Call Number
MV 1215 W427in
Genre
Solo Voice with Chamber Ensemble, Woodwind(s) / Keyboard / String Bowed
Material Type
Print-music
Acquisition Date
2010-04-16
Library Collection Publisher / Label
Unpublished, printed by CMC / Inédit, imprimé par le CMC
Preview
Master Location
Toronto
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Physical Description
Found 3 record(s)
Available Actions
Extent of Item
1 piano reduction (35 p.) ;
5 parts ([19] p.) ;
1 score (48 p.) ; 28 cm.
Instrumentation
Found 6 record(s)
Available Actions
Set No.
Category
Instrument
Number
33636
Voices
Tenor
1
33636
Woodwinds
Clarinet
1
33636
Strings, bowed
Violin
1
33636
Strings, bowed
Viola
1
33636
Strings, bowed
Double bass
1
33636
Keyboard
Piano
1
Divided
No
Solo
No
Divided
No
Solo
No
Divided
No
Solo
No
Divided
No
Solo
No
Divided
No
Solo
No
Divided
No
Solo
No
Premiere
13/3/1957 Recital Hall, School of Music, Woman's College, University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC, USA live concert for the 1957 Arts Festival; "A Program of Contemporary Music and Drama"; Robert Morris, tenor; Elliot Weisgarber, clarinet; Irene S. Piltz, violin; Hans-Karl Piltz, viola; Carl Alexius, bass; Philip Morgan, piano Conductor: Sara Holroyd
In Country Sleep is a stunning rendering of Dylan Thomas’ 1947 poem of the same name. It is the poet’s prayer for his young daughter, an incantation full of fairy tale imagery and a terrifying catalogue of life’s fears that lie ahead and from which the poet invokes the child’s protection. It is a dark poem that places the reader, and the child, in a dream deep beneath the overhanging “pouncing boughs” of a Little Red Riding Hood forest with the wolf in his “lair of the flocked leaves” wearing his “baaing hood”. Nightmarish images of birds, ghosts and animal eyes confront the reader, as they do the sleeping child, in a boiling cauldron of ancient lore. Over all, however, is knowledge that the nightmare is conquerable, that the dark forest is also a happy “squirrel nimble grove”, “The country is holy” and that “faith is deathless”.
Just as Thomas’ poem was inspired by his 4-year-old daughter as yet untouched by life’s cruelties and sorrows, Weisgarber’s setting of the poem was written in the fall of 1956 as a gift for his own daughter’s second birthday. He was lucky enough to have been present when Dylan Thomas’ himself read the poem in the United States in 1953 during the last months of the poet’s life. In Weisgarber’s own words: “A decision to undertake a setting was not made until 1956, and only then after my failure to come to grips with a setting of the W. B. Yeats poem A Prayer for My Daughter which, indeed, may have been one of the inspirations for [Thomas’] great pastoral poem.”
Although there are no notes to this effect in the score I, the recipient of the birthday gift and now my late father’s editor, have imagined the tenor soloist to be the voice of Thomas while the viola solo that begins and ends the work to be Weisgarber’s voice. The use of a double-bass rather than a cello, in addition to the piano being played in the bass clef in both hands for much of the work, reflects the darkness of the poetry.
Performers and listeners alike will recognize in Weisgarber’s music the influence of some of the 20th century’s most remarkable composers. In this work, his admiration for the composition of Paul Hindemith will be apparent and his love for the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams unmistakable.
In Country Sleep received its first performance at the 1957 Festival of Contemporary Arts, Woman’s College, University of North Carolina in Greensboro where the composer was on the faculty. The performers were Robert Morris, tenor; Elliot Weisgarber, clarinet, Irene S. Piltz, violin, Hans-Karl Piltz, viola, Carl Alexius, double-bass and Philip Morgan, piano. The ensemble was conducted by Sara Holroyd.
Weisgarber revised In Country Sleep in 1962 and orchestrated it the same year. The orchestral version is also available through the Canadian Music Centre. In order to preserve consistency between both versions I have altered some of the original tempo markings.
In both versions I have attempted to ferret out and correct mistakes. Any that may remain are my responsibility alone. The composer chose to use “unnecessary” accidentals liberally in an effort to clarify the pitch he desired. Guided partially by markings in the performers’ parts I removed any that appeared to be more confusing and added others where they seemed to be needed. Weisgarber chose to write his tempo indications in English. I added a couple of a tempos for clarity.
Permission to use the poem did not extend to printing it in full outside the musical context so I would urge performers of this music to acquire a copy of Dylan Thomas: Selected Poems 1934-1952 published by New Directions, New York which was used to prepare the present edition. Reading and studying a Thomas poem is like the proverbial peeling of an onion that continuously reveals another layer previously unseen. It will provide constant amazement for anyone preparing the work for performance. ~ Karen Suzanne Smithson, daughter and editor March 2010
Found 20 record(s)
1
2
Available Actions
CMC Location
Barcode
Copy Status
Circulation Status
Number of Copies
Toronto
01TO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Montréal
04MO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Toronto
02TO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Vancouver
02VA62427
In Circulation
-
1
Calgary
01CA62427
In Circulation
-
1
Toronto
05TO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Montréal
02MO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Calgary
05CA62427
In Circulation
-
1
Toronto
03TO62427
In Circulation
-
1
Vancouver
03VA62427
In Circulation
-
1
SydneyEnterprise v4.4.0.28 - Canadian Music Centre | SydneyEnterprise (Final)