Know You How Many Petals Falling?

Description

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Piano — Commissioned by the 6th World Symposium on Choral Music for the Elmer Iseler Singers, the composition Know You How Many Petals Falling? is written for mixed choir, premiered by the Elmer Iseler Singers on August 11th, 2002, at the 6th World Symposium on Choral Music in MN.xa0 The music is a setting of the poem Know You How Many Petals Falling? by Meng Hao-ran (689-740, Tang Dynasty), translated into English by the composer from the original Chinese poem.xa0 The piece is dedicated to the memory of New York firefighters who sacrificed themselves to protect thousands of fellow citizens at the 9:11 tragedy, to express the composer’s compassion for the victims and their families, to denounce terrorist acts, and to call for peace in the future. Spring dreams unconscious of dawning,Not woke up till I hear birds singing;O night long wind and showers —Know you how many petals falling? Poem by Meng Hao-ran (689-740, Tang Dynasty)English translation by Chen Yi