Show Me the Way

Description

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Piano, Flute, Tenor Drum — This piece adapts a portion of a poem by the American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) in which she expresses a deep yearning for guidance and clarity in life. The speaker seeks a path of compassion, kindness, and moral integrity, asking for direction from either a trusted mentor, a higher power, or from society in general.All voice parts have a chance to shine as the request to “show me the way” is passed among the choir, repeated, and transformed through a variety of imitative techniques and textures. Wilcox’s lines suggest that life's journey is full of challenges and uncertainties, but through love, patience, and a commitment to good deeds, one can find purpose and fulfillment. This hopeful perspective is expressed musically through the driving compound meter rhythms provided by the piano (and optional drum and flute) and the use of accessible chromatic pitches in the vocal lines. For example, the frequent G-sharp (syllable “fi”) lends a lydian inflection to the melody, conveying both a hopefulness for the future and commitment to rise above the trials and tribulations of this world.

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