Sun Song

Libby Larsen

Libby Larsen

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General Info

Year: 1990
Duration: c. 14:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher:
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Movements

1. Sun Song - 3:56
2. Dream Variations - 5:33
3. Tambourines - 4:01

Instrumentation

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Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Sun Song was commissioned by a consortium of fifteen college bands in Illinois in conjunction with the Illinois Music Educators Association. The work draws its inspiration from the poetry of Langston Hughes. A major figure of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s, his poetry frequently made use of blues rhythms as well as the musical language of the American jazz idiom. One might also discern the influence of the spiritual, particularly in the second movement.

Sun Song
Sun and softness
Sun and the beaten hardness of the earth,
Sun and the son of all the sun-stars
Gathered together—
Dark ones of Africa,
I bring you my songs
To sing on the Georgia roads.

Dream Variations
To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest cool at evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes gently;
Dark like me—
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done
Rest at pale evening
A tall, slim tree
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

Tambourines
Tambourines!
Tambourines!
Tambourines!
To the glory of God!
Tambourines
To glory!

A gospel shout
And a gospel song:
Life is short
But God is long!

Tambourines!
Tambourines!
Tambourines
To glory!

- Program Note from Miami University Wind Ensemble concert program, 23 February 2018

Media

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State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

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• Miami University (Miami, Ohio) Wind Ensemble (Gary A. Speck, conductor) – 23 February 2018 (CBDNA 2018 North Central Conference, Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Works for Winds by This Composer

• And Another Thing (2012)
• Big Bertha (2014)
• Blue Windows (2005)
• Brass Flight (1996)
• Brazen Overture (2000/2012)
• Concert Dances (1996)
• Confluence (2014)
• Cri de Coeur (2009)
• Fanfare: Strum (1996)
• Fanfare for a Learned Man (2005)
• Fanfare for Humanity (2003)
• Grand Rondo (1988)
• Hambone (1999)
• He Arose (2007)
• Holy Roller (arr. Boyd) (1997/?)
• An Introduction to the Moon (2005)
• River Fanfare (2004/2015)
• Short Symphony (1995)
• Strut (2003/2008)
• Sun Song (1991)
• Ursa (2010)
• Wait a Minute... (2004)
• With Love and Hisses (1985)

Resources

None discovered thus far.