Rainfall

Description

Tenor, Bass 1, Bass 2, Piano — Rainfall - Emily Pauline JohnsonFrom out the west, where darkling storm-clouds float,The ’waking wind pipes soft its rising note.From out the west, o’erhung with fringes grey,The wind preludes with sighs its roundelay,Then blowing, singing, piping, laughing loud,It scurries on before the grey storm-cloud;Across the hollow and along the hillIt whips and whirls among the maples, tillWith boughs upbent, and green of leaves blown wide,The silver shines upon their underside.A gusty freshening of humid air,With showers laden, and with fragrance rare;And now a little sprinkle, with a dashOf great cool drops that fall with sudden splash;Then over field and hollow, grass and grain,The loud, crisp whiteness of the nearing rain.In Emily Pauline Johnson’s poem Rainfall, the rain is portrayed as a powerful and transformative force, bringing cleansing and renewal to the natural world. The poem evokes the arrival of the rain, its impact on the landscape, and the sense of joy and wonder it inspires. Symbolically, the rain reflects the cyclical nature of life, returning to the earth to nurture and revitalize it.  This new choral arrangement for TBB voices and piano, composed by Jimmy Baas, is enriched by the addition of cello, congas, and rainstick. While these instrumental parts are listed as optional, they contribute significantly to the overall character and texture of the piece.Johnson’s poem conveys a vivid sense of anticipation as the wind heralds the rain’s approach—a mood captured musically through driving 12/8 rhythms in the opening accompaniment. Throughout the work, there is a palpable sense of celebration, underscoring the beauty and wonder of a landscape transformed by the downpour. As the piece progresses, the music evolves alongside the imagery in the text, moving from stormy winds and thunder to a gentle, steady rainfall. In the final section, the rain’s “loud, crisp whiteness” envelops the fields and hollows, echoed musically by the subtle yet evocative presence of the rainstick in the accompaniment. Jimmy Baas’s TBB arrangement, based on Emily Pauline Johnson’s poem Rainfall, captures the renewing power and joyful spirit of rain through driving 12/8 rhythms, evolving textures, and vivid musical imagery. Optional cello, congas, and rainstick add color as the music moves from stormy winds and thunder to a gentle, steady fall, highlighting the beauty and wonder of a landscape refreshed by rain.

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