From Your Bright Sparkling Eyes, A Death-Bed Adieu Music by Amy Gordon Texts by George Washington and Thomas Jeerson
Instrumenta*on: Two Sopranos and Piano Dura*on: Approx. 4' 30"
AG Š 2016 | www.amygordonmusic.com
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
From Your Bright Sparkling Eyes, A Death-Bed Adieu combines the poems of two of America's Founding Fathers: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The first soprano sings the text of one of only two surviving poems wri\en by George Washington, "From Your Bright Sparkling Eyes, I Was Undone". The first le\er of each line of the text spells out the words Frances Alexa, referring to a woman George Washington loved. The poem is incomplete, however, since her full name is Frances Alexander. The second soprano sings the darker poem, "A Death-Bed Adieu" penned by Thomas Jefferson at the end of his life on his death bed. He addressed the poem to his daughter, Martha Randolph. The juxtaposi*on of these two poems, one youthfully hopeful and the other darkly resigned, creates a strange new work where love and death exist in the same *me and space. "FROM YOUR BRIGHT SPARKLING EYES, I WAS UNDONE" — GEORGE WASHINGTON
"A DEATH-BED ADIEU. TH:J TO MR" — THOMAS JEFFERSON
From your bright sparkling Eyes, I was undone; Rays, you have, more transparent than the sun, Amidst its glory in the rising Day, None can you equal in your bright array; Constant in your calm and unspo\ed Mind; Equal to all, but will to none Prove kind, So knowing, seldom one so Young, you'l Find Ah! woe's me that I should Love and conceal, Long have I wish'd, but never dare reveal, Even though severely Loves Pains I feel; Xerxes that great, was't free from Cupids Dart, And all the greatest Heroes, felt the smart.
Life's visions are vanished, it's dreams are no more. Dear friends of my bosom, why bathed in tears? I go to my fathers; I welcome the shore, which crowns all my hopes, or which buries my cares. Then farewell my dear, my lov'd daughter, Adieu! The last pang in life is in par*ng from you. Two Seraphs await me, long shrouded in death; I will bear them your love on my last par*ng breath.
FROM YOUR BRIGHT SPARKLING EYES, A DEATH-BED ADIEU From your bright sparkling Eyes, Life's visions are vanished. I was undone, it's dreams are no more. Dear friends of my bosom, Why bathed in tears? Rays, you have, more transparent than the sun. I go to my fathers Amidst its glory in the rising Day, None can you equal in your bright array. I welcome the shore, Constant in your calm and unspo\ed Mind; which crowns all my hopes, or which buries my cares. Then farewell my dear, my lov'd daughter, Equal to all, but will to none Prove kind, So knowing, seldom one so Young, you'll Find. Adieu!
Ah! woe's me that I should Love and conceal, Long have I wish'd, but never dare reveal, The last pang in life is in par*ng from you. Even though severely Loves Pains I feel; Two Seraphs await me, long shrouded in death. Xerxes that great, was't free from Cupids Dart, And all the greatest Heroes felt the smart, I will bear them your love on my last par*ng breath.
About the composer: Amy Gordon (b. 1986) is an ac*ve composer, arranger, and singersongwriter based in Los Angeles, CA. She is an ac*ve choral composer and is currently the composer-in-residence for Nova Vocal Ensemble. She has also scored for numerous films, webcasts, and video games. She has a BA in composi*on from Loyola Marymount University and a MM in music composi*on from California State University, Long Beach.
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From Your Bright Sparkling Eyes, A Death-Bed Adieu Music by Amy Gordon
Poems by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
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AG © 2016 | www.amygordonmusic.com This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
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