for the Amherst College Concert Choir Mallorie Chernin, director
A Black Birch in Winter Gregory W. Brown
Richard Wilbur
q ≈ 76; with warm respect; legato; rubato
b 4P j b & b 4 œ œ œ œ
œ
You might not know
this
bb 4P j & b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
You might not know this old
bb b 4Pœ œ V 4 J œ œ You might not
know
? b b 44Pœ œ œ œ b J You might not
4
know
œ œ 45 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ 43 œ old
tree
So
tree
œ œ œ
So
this old
tree
So
this old
deep now are the
deep now
are the
deep now are the
? b b 44 3 b œ œœ œ ‰œ 4 ˙ gloss - y - dark,
So
deep
stri
-
ate
smooth, and
by its bark,
Which once was
stri - ate smooth, and
by its
bark,
Which once was
stri
-
œ
ate
œ œ 44
smooth, and
œ œ œ œ 3 œ œ œ œ œ 45 œ œ œ œ ‰ 4 œ œ tree
rifts
rifts
b 4 3 5 V b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ. gloss - y - dark,
Which once was
45 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ 43 œ
b 4 5 & b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 43 œ 4 œ. œ œ œ gloss - y - dark,
bark,
5 3 4 œœ 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4
b 4 & b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 43 œ œ œ œ œ œ 45 œ . gloss - y - dark,
by its
œ œ 44
œ
rifts
by its bark,
stri - ate smooth,
and
j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
44 j œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
4 j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
5 œ œ 4 œ œ ˙
are the
Which once was
œ œ 44
rifts, so deep…
Ó
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
44
Music © 2014 Gregory W. Brown (ASCAP) “A Black Birch in Winter” from THE MIND-READER by Richard to Wilbur. Copyright © 1971 by Richard This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com purchase performance copies.Wilbur. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
∑
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
8
faster, lilting U f œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bb ‰ & b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ You might not know this
old
tree
b &bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ
by its bark.
U f
œ œ œ œ
You might not know this old
Fan - cy
tree
by its bark.
old
tree
? bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ b
Fan - cy
bbb œ
œ
œ
tree
Œ
& b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ
&
col - umns
in
a
col
b Vbb Π? bb Πb
-
p ‰ œ œ
umns in
a
œ
Than col - umns,
p œ ‰ œ
œ
Than col - umns,
U
œ œ
of mo - sa - ic
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
less re - mind you of
might
Œ
a
birch Than
of mo - sa - ic
∑
∑
∑
∑
P ‰ œ œ œ œ
Ó
church
bb
birch Than
by its bark.
œ œ œ
12
a
by its bark.
œ œ
You might not know this old
less re - mind you of
œ œ œ
U bb b ‰ V œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ You might not know this
might
P ‰
Ó
church
P ‰ œ œ Aœ œ œ œ nœ œ mo - sa - ic
col - umns in
a
Like A - ra Coe
œ œ œ œ
Like A - ra Coe
church
Pœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ mo - sa - ic
col - umns in
a
church
œ Like
œ Like
-
-
œ
œ.
li
or
the La - ter -
œ
œ.
j œ œ nœ
li
the La - ter -
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ A - ra Coe - li
or
the La - ter -
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. A - ra Coe - li
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
—2—
or
œ œ œ J
or
the La
j œ -
ter -
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
b &bb ˙
Ó
b &bb ˙
Ó
16
∑
∑
Œ œ œ œ œ
an,
∑
∑
Œ
an,
œ
? bb œ Œ b ˙
bœ
an,
an,
Or the
Or
œ œ bœ œ œ
trenched
œ
fea
œ
-
œ œœ
tures
of an a
the trenched
fea
b œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ &bb These knot - ty fur - rows and these
-
-
? bb w b
œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
gèd
man.
tures of an a - gèd man.
Ó
Ó
do not be
do not be
P Œ ‰œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ ˙ Œ
P bœ ‰ œ œœ œ
To think of pat - terns
∑
too much
per - suad - ed by…
œ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ too
much per - suad - ed by…
Or fin - ished
wis - dom in a shriv - eled
w
made from out - side - in…
œ b œ ∫ œ ˙ bœ
w
made from out - side - in…
Ó
p ‰ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ Or fin - ished
wis - dom in a shriv - eled
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
—3—
per - suad - ed by…
p ‰ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
tes - ser - ae
To think of pat - terns
b w Vbb
bœ œ œ œ
too much
per - suad - ed by
bœ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ.
œœœ
slowing
& b w
too much
œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. ‰
œ
21
bb
Still, do not be
Still, do not be
b Vbb œ Œ œ œ
œœ œ œ œ œ œ
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
& b ˙.
p tempo primo ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 45 œ
b U b & b . ˙
5 4 Ó
p Œ ‰
5 4 Ó
p Œ ‰ œ œ œ 43 œ
45 Ó
p œ œ œ 43 œ œ Œ ‰ œ
25
bb
U
skin.
b b U˙ . b V ? b b nU˙ . b
You might not know this
Œ
old
∑
Œ
∑
Œ
∑
skin.
tree
œ œ œ
by its
b 4 & b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 43 œ œ œ œ œ œ 45 œ . So
deep now are the
rifts
b 4 5 & b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 43 œ 4 œ. œ œ œ gloss - y - dark,
So
deep now
are the
rifts
b 4 V b b 4 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ 43 œ œ œ œ œ œ 45 œ . gloss - y - dark,
So
deep now are the
? b b 44 3 b œ œœ œ ‰œ 4 ˙ gloss - y - dark,
So
deep
rifts
stri
-
ate
smooth, and
stri - ate smooth, and
stri
Which once was
œ œ 44
œ -
ate
smooth, and
stri - ate smooth,
œ œ 44 and
j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
44 j œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
4 j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
which sep - a - rate the rough - ened
rifts, so deep…
Ó
sur - face in - to flake and plate.
44
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—4—
œ œ 44
œ
3 4 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4
Which once was
5 œ œ 4 œ œ ˙
are the
Which once was
Which once was
29
gloss - y - dark,
bark,
‰ œ œ œ 43 œ
∑
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
U f œslower,œheavy œ œ b œ b œ- . œ bb ‰ & b œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ J
an - nu - al
b &bb ‰œ œ œ œ œ œ
an - nu - al
33
You might not know this old
You might not know this old
tree
by
its bark.
U f
œ œ œ œ
tree
by
its bark.
Old
trees
Old
? bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ b
You might not know this old
tree
by
œ œ tree
by
U
its bark.
trees
œ
b & b b œ.
nœ nœ œ nœ œ J
n˙.
new com - pass, great - er
bb
U j œ nœ œ #œ œ
girth,
new com - pass, great - er
n˙.
37
& b œ.
breve
U bb b œ b œ V #œ œ œ œ œ œ wood, new
life, new com - pass, great - er
U ? bb œ b œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ b wood, new
life, new com - pass, great - er
girth,
#˙.
girth,
n˙.
œ b œ- œ J
trees
U fb œ œ
its bark.
are doomed
œ.
Old
Old
are doomed to
bœ
œ
b œ- œ
trees
are
doomed to
Œ
to
an - nu - al
girth,
-
birth, New
an - nu - al
p p
re - birth, New
accell.
nœ #˙
nœ
and
their
nœ #˙
#œ
and
˙
‰ nœ #œ nœ œ Nœ Nœ œ
˙
this
And this
is
is
all their wis - dom
all their wis - dom
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
—5—
re
œ œ bœ nœ bœ œ
And
P
re - birth,
bœ œ œ œ œ nœ œ
∑
P Œ #œ
re - birth,
bœ bœ œ œ œ nœ œ
∑
Œ
Œ
to
j j œ œ- . œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ
œ.
œ
U f bb b ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ V œ You might not know this old
are doomed
œ œ œ œ bœ bœ
their
#œ nœ
and their
#˙ and
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
f
U U π j Œ.
surging forward
b bœ bœ & b b #œ #œ œ nœ bœ nœ ‰ ‰ #œ nœ bœ bœ nœ
41
art— To grow,
b &bb
stretch, crack,
#œ #œ ˙.
b V b b #œ nœ ˙.
art— To grow,
f U U π N˙ Œ. Aœ œ œ œ J
and not yet come a - part.
f ˙ Œ.
b 5 &bb 4 œ
45
tree
stretch, crack,
and not yet come a - part.
‰ œ œ œ
43 œ
43 œ œ œ œ œ 43 œ
its
bark,
Which once was
b 5 &bb 4 œ
‰
by
b 5 Vbb 4 œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
‰ œ œ œ
tree
tree
by
its
its
bark,
? b b 45 œ œ œ œ œ b tree
by
its
bark,
œ œ œ
Which once was
bark,
Which once was
‰
old
5 œœ 4
œ œ œ
Which once was
stri
-
stri - ate
stri
-
œ
œ
ate
smooth,
stri - ate
this old
œ
44 œ œ œ
œ
‰
œ
44 œ œ œ
œ
‰ œ 43
44 œ œ œ
œ
‰ œ 43
and
œ
œ
ate
smooth,
and
œ
œ and
gloss - y - dark,
gloss - y - dark,
gloss - y - dark,
gloss - y - dark,
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
—6—
œ œ œ œ 45
œ
and
smooth,
this old
44 œ œ œ
œ
smooth,
43 œ œ œ
know
5 4
œœ œ
know
œ œ œ œ J
You might not
œ œ œ
by
You might not
U U π
bœ bœ nœ bœ ‰ ‰ ? bb # œ b œ œ b œ nœ nœ b #œ œ nœ (ten.) cresc.
art— To grow,
this
You might not know this old
œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
(ten.) cresc.
You might not know
œ œ 45
œ
Œ . A œj a˙ œ œ œ œ œ
w
art— To grow,
œ œ œ œ
f U U π
and not yet come a - part.
(ten.) cresc.
tempo primo
˙
(ten.) cresc.
‰ œ 43 So
3 4 œ
So
So
So
A Black Birch in Winter (Brown/Wilbur)
b 3 5 & b b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ.
48
deep
b 3 &bb 4 œ
deep
now
are the
œ
5 4 œ. œ œ
now
are the
rifts
now
? b b 43 b ˙
are the
j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ
4 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
rifts
j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ
4 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
are the
rifts
rifts,
old
b &bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ You might not
know this
old
b Vbb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ You might not
know this
old
? b ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ bb You might not
know this
the rough - ened
old
œ tree
œ tree
œ tree
sur - face
sur - face
sur - face
in - to flake and plate.
in - to flake and plate.
in - to flake and plate.
44
Ó
so deep…
Rall.
know this
the rough - ened
which sep - a - rate
b &bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ You might not
the rough - ened
which sep - a - rate
5 ˙ œ œ 4 œ œ
deep
51
4 œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ
which sep - a - rate
b 3 5 V b b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ. deep
j œ œ- œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ U˙ by
its bark.
U
œ œ ˙
by
its bark.
œ œ U˙ by
its bark.
œ œ œ œ U˙ tree
by
its bark.
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—7—
∑