Composer: Donald M. SkirvinDetailsFormat: Mixed Choir - 4 voicesVoicing: SATBIncidental Divisi: S, A, T, BAccompaniment: obbligato instrument(s)Instrumentation: violinNotation: standardPerformance Length: 3:19 Study Scores & Audio FilesStudy Score & Audio Order Printed ScoresPublisher: jwpepper.comOrder site / Alternate source of score: donaldmskirvin.com Texts & TranslationsLanguage(s): EnglishText Source: Gordon E. Abshire from "A Collection of Poetry"Text: If I could but see again From this disadvantaged viewpoint, I would watch for signs of Seasons changing. If I could but breathe again I’d catch the scents Of the hay’s first cutting, Sage fires in desert summers, The clear chill of early frost And the lively green Of spring’s new life. Each dawn: A song sparrow On my headstone Trilling lux aeterna Not for me, But not minding If I’d listen, Sometimes, For eternity. Programming AidsPerformance Difficulty: moderateDescriptive Terms: secular requiemmemoriallife in musicAllow Excerpts: Composition is a single movementComposer’s Notes: This work is an ode to those whose lives were well-lived in music. Scored for solo violin and SATB chorus, the setting is direct and accessible. It employs rich harmonies and is constructed with careful voice leading. The poem and piece end with the words "Each dawn: A song sparrow; On my headstone Trilling lux aeterna. Not for me; But not minding If I'd listen Sometimes For eternity." Additional InformationDate of Completion: June, 2008Date of First Performance: Saturday, October 11, 2014Premier Performance Data: Opus 7 (Loren Pontén, cond), Seattle, WA