ThefollowingfourstanzaswereselectedfromAlfred,LordTennyson'spoem“ToJ.S.”Thepoem waspublishedin1833andwasaddressedtoJamesSpeddingonthedeathof hisbrother,Edward.
SleepSweetly, TenderHeart, InPeace
Ihavenotlook'duponyounigh, Sincethatdearsoulhathfall'nasleep. GreatnatureismorewisethanI: Iwillnottellyounottoweep.
Godgivesuslove. Somethingtolove Helendsus;but, whenloveisgrown Toripeness, thatonwhichitthrove Fallsoff, andloveisleftalone.
Sleepsweetly, tenderheart, inpeace; Sleep, holyspirit, blessedsoul, Whilethestarsburn, themoonsincrease, Andthegreatagesonwardroll.
Sleeptilltheend, truesoulandsweet. Nothingcomestotheeneworstrange, Sleepfullofrestfrom headtofeet: Liestill, drydust, secureofchange.
ThisworkwascommissionedbytheLitchfieldHighSchoolChoralDepartment,Litchfield,Illinois, inhonorofMr ErnieThomack(February23,1958~ February9,2024) Erniewasawell-known talentedprofessionalmusicianandvocalist.Erniewasalsoinvolvedwiththemusicprogramsof LitchfieldCommunityUnitSchoolDistrict,preparingstudentsformusiccontestsandoftenserving asaccompanistforthoseevents Ernieplayedinthepitbandforhighschoolplaysandproductions Hewasalsoatrumpeter,playing“Taps”forseveralVeteranmilitaryfuneralhonorsceremonies.
PeterJ.Durow isaconductorandcomposerspecializinginmusiceducation.Dr.Durow hastaught atUniversityandSecondarylevelsandhasworkedasachurchmusicianinMinnesota,Texas, Indiana,Florida,NewYorkandMissouri.Hiscompositionsandarrangementsarepublishedwith CollaVoceMusicLLC,HeritageMusicPress,MusicSpoke,JWPepperMyscore,TheSacredMusic Press,PersonagePress,NorthwesternPublishingHouse,andVocalEssenceMusicPressinthe GraphiteMarketplace.PeteriscurrentlytheDirectorofMusicandtheArtsattheCongregational ChurchofExcelsiorandalsoworksasanAdministrativeAssociateforcomposer,LibbyLarsen.He liveswithhiswife,Jodi,andtheirtwochildreninMapleGrove,Minnesota
PeterJ.Durow
Andanteq =80withTenderness
Duration:ca.4:10
grown to ripe ness,
grown to ripe ness,