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Speak Love, Op.34
Classical/Contemporary • 2005 • Lyricist: Henriette de Saussure Blanding • Alternative Title: Seven songs on the joys and sorrows of love; for medium voice and guitar
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Instrumentation |
Voice, Classical guitar |
Type of score |
Score for two performers |
Movement(s) |
1 to 7 from 7 |
Publisher |
Gyre Music |
Language |
English |
Difficulty |
Medium |
Duration |
17'0 |
Written in: March, 2005 Duration: 17 minutes; 16 pages Difficulty level: moderate for both parts World premiere: April, 2005 at various venues in Germany by Frank Wallace Recording: The Great Deep by Duo LiveOak on Gyre, 1/11/11
This song-cycle was conceived at an overnight stay at guitar scholar Thomas Heck's home in Santa Barbara in March, 2005. Speak Love is set to hauntingly beautiful love poems by Henriette de Saussure Blanding. Frank "fell in love" with Henriette, Anne Heck's grandmother, and her passionate poetry from 1911. She wrote the poems while still a teenager, he composed the first five songs within two weeks and debuted the cycle only a month later while on tour in Germany. Two songs were added in the summer of 2005. It is dedicated to various couples of the American guitar world including The Hecks, The Longs and The Danners.
Song Were I a bird I would wing to thee, Were I a lark I would sing to thee, Were I a star I would shine for thee, Were I a lover I'd pine for thee.
Were I the breeze I would blow for thee, Were I the rose I would grow for thee, Were I a wave I would break for thee, Were I a heart I would ache for thee.
Were I the wind I would sigh for thee, Were I a hero I'd die for thee, None of these gifts can I give to thee, Bid me, dear, only to live for thee.
Isolation When I was but a child and knew not pain, One day you clasped me closely to your breast, And on my cheek your lips convulsive pressed, While o'er my face the hot tears fell like rain.
That hour was long ago, Then why today When years have given me my rightful part In the soul's sorrow, do you close your heart To love, and smiling, turn your face away?
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