Wishing

Description

Voice 1, Voice 2, Piano — The poem Wishing first appeared in the book Poems of Power by Ella Wheeler Wilcox in 1902. We were drawn to its relevance for our world today: stressing self-improvement for the pursuit of wisdom, and spreading kindness to create a better, happier, and wiser world. We have updated some of the text to make it more current without losing the context and spirit of the original poem.xa0xa0Notice that each refrain begins with “Do you wish the world were BETTER?, WISER? or HAPPY?”xa0If time allows during your rehearsals, ask students to express their thoughts on these differences in text. Do all generations face the same issues over time? How does the music relate to the words that are written?xa0 xa0xa0To enhance the message of honesty and hope in this song, don’t over-sing. Keep the tone natural and pure. At m. 39, let Part 1 float gently and clearly as it adds the descant echo to the theme. As you approach the final cadence, let your sound be strong and firm, without over-singing. Do you wish the world were BETTER, WISER or HAPPIER? These questions dominate this hope-filled and delightful song written for developing treble voices by Dave and Jean Perry. The answers are simple: think about your ACTIONS, KINDNESS, and SHARING. What a perfect message and perfectly delightful for any time of the year!

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