A Paean

[andreasvanharen]

Hi all!

Here's a piece I wrote some years ago. Love to hear what you think about it. It is for woodwinds, solo singer and mixed choir. The text is written by Edgar Allen Poe, my favorite poet! I wrote this piece for a composition contest in Holland.

You can see the music here:
A Paean by André van Haren (Book)

and listen to it here:
http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/mp3/4/2/8/42814.mp3
this is a recording of a live performance.

or look at it and listen to it at the same time at the sibeliusmusic site here, but there will no choir then, only sound card sounds:
A Paean

Here is the text of the poem that I used:

A PAEAN

by Edgar Allen Poe

I.

How shall the burial rite be read?
The solemn song be sung ?
The requiem for the loveliest dead,
That ever died so young?

II.

Her friends are gazing on her,
And on her gaudy bier,
And weep ! — oh! to dishonor
Dead beauty with a tear!

III.

They loved her for her wealth —
And they hated her for her pride —
But she grew in feeble health,
And they love her — that she died.

IV.

They tell me (while they speak
Of her "costly broider'd pall")
That my voice is growing weak —
That I should not sing at all —

V.

Or that my tone should be
Tun'd to such solemn song
So mournfully — so mournfully,
That the dead may feel no wrong.

VI.

But she is gone above,
With young Hope at her side,
And I am drunk with love
Of the dead, who is my bride. —

VII.

Of the dead — dead who lies
All perfum'd there,
With the death upon her eyes,
And the life upon her hair.

VIII.

Thus on the coffin loud and long
I strike — the murmur sent
Through the grey chambers to my song,
Shall be the accompaniment.

IX.

Thou died'st in thy life's June —
But thou did'st not die too fair:
Thou did'st not die too soon,
Nor with too calm an air.

X.

From more than fiends on earth,
Thy life and love are riven,
To join the untainted mirth
Of more than thrones in heaven —

XII.

Therefore, to thee this night
I will no requiem raise,
But waft thee on thy flight,
With a Pæan of old days


greetings!
André van Haren, sweden

[reith]

A poignant poem and your setting is brilliant. I'd guess you're a professional musician/composer?

I love the veiled tones, beautiful harmony and quietly searing instrumentation when the reeds come in, and the 'hurrying along' a few bars in. Particularly nice to hear a live performance.

A brilliant piece leaving a lasting impression. Surreal.

thanks,
reith

[andreasvanharen]

Hi Reith!
Thanks for your nice comments. I am a classical piano teacher and studied composition as well, yes. Not everything is performed yet but I work on midi recordings of them until I have the real recordings.

thanks!
André

[yerik]

Wow! Congratulations!

It is a pleasure to hear real performances, and I hope that many of us one day can upload wonders like this!
A very well composed and text balanced piece. The soloists choir and winds seem to be very well rehearshed, and have grasped your idea in a very good manner here. I specially liked your fugue in the middle. Here the ensemble performed brilliantly! A few other parts the timing could have been a little better, but all in all a composition and production you can be proud of!

Regards
yerik

[andreasvanharen]

Hi Yerik!
Thanks for your nice words. I agree that it is a lucky thing to get music performed, I am trying already so many years to get my other pieces in the open, almost begging... A good thing therefore that computers and sound modules getting more and more real. But for a choir work, nothing beats the real thing.

greeings,
André, Sweden

[reith]

Yes, this is another piece that I couldn't let go before the end. Young composers here might learn from studying it, the choral writing, interweaving of voices, balance of the soloist, instruments etc.

[andreasvanharen]

Hi Reith, Thanks a lot. Nice to hear that you liked it.

greetings,
André, Sweden

[Andy]

André

marvelous work!

thouroghly enjoyed.

andy

[andreasvanharen]

Thanks Andy, nice to hear that!

André