G-9289 AMID SUCH SNOWS • LAVOY
LAVOY
Amid Such Snows
Thomas LaVoy
SSAATTBB
Notes “Amid Such Snows” was commissioned by Paul Mealor and the University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir for their 2016 tour of North Wales, and was premiered at a candlelight service in St. Asaph Cathedral. The text of this work has been extracted from “The Red House” by the English poet John Frederick Freeman (see below). This remarkable poem uses the metaphor of a red house buried in a snowy landscape to describe the perseverance of the human heart as the body ages. Moreover, the poem speaks to the resilience of humanity in the face of adversity—that whatever challenges arise and seek to wear us down, the human spirit continues to burn and give light to the world. This idea is perhaps best described by the poet’s own words—four lines of text which contain the literal “heart” and emotional climax of “Amid Such Snows”: Amid such snows, by generations haunted, By echoes, memories and dreams enchanted… That old house called The Heart burns, burns, and still Outbraves the mortal threat of the hanging hill. —Thomas LaVoy
The Red House On the wide fields the water gleams like snow, And snow like water pale beneath pale sky, When old and burdened the white clouds are stooped low. Sudden as thought, or startled near bird’s cry, The whiteness of first light on hills of snow New dropped from skiey hills of tumbling white Streams from the ridge to where the long woods lie; And tall ridge-trees lift their soft crowns of white Above slim bodies all black or flecked with snow. By the tossed foam of the not yet frozen brook Black pigs go straggling over fields of snow; The air is full of snow, and starling and rook Are blacker amid the myriad streams of light. Warm as old fire the Red House burns yet bright Beneath the unmelting snows of pine and larch, While February moves as slow, as slow As Spring might never come, never come March. Amid such snows, by generations haunted, By echoes, memories and dreams enchanted, Firm when dark winds through the night stamp and shout, Brightest when time silvers the world all about, That old house called The Heart burns, burns, and still Outbraves the mortal threat of the hanging hill. —John Frederick Freeman (1880–1929) from Memories of Childhood and Other Poems, 1919
3
Commissioned by the University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir for their 2016 tour of North Wales. Dedicated to Jon and Christine Saari.
AMID SUCH SNOWS
Words extracted from “The Red House” Memories of Childhood and Other Poems, 1919 John Frederick Freeman (1880–1929)
Thomas LaVoy
P
Peacefully q = 60
bb 4 &bb 4
A
p œ
On
b b b 4T pœ b V 4
On
B p ? b b b 44 œ b
On
œ
the
œ
œ
wide
the
wide
œ
the
wide
Peacefully q = 60
bb & b b 44 Ó
for rehearsal only
? b b b 44 œ b
bb &bb
œ
div.
5
V
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œ
œ
snow like
œ
wa - ter
.
œ
snow
? bb b . b
snow
5
b & b bb ? bb b b
œ
..
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P
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elds the
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elds the
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be - neath pale
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wa
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like
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wa
P
ter
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gleams
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ter
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snow,
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like
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and
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snow,
and
.
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ter
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ww
sky,
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be - neath
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ter
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sky,
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old and bur - dened
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old
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*For a fuller sound, soprano II may sing measures 4–8 with alto I. G-9289
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like
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and
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gleams
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snow,
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pale
like
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white
white
œ
œœ
4
b & b bb
10
b & b bb
Slightly faster q = 72
S (opt. solo)
∑
œ
œ
Ó
œ
p
œ
white clouds are stooped
b V b bb œ
clouds
œ
? bb bb
œ
œ
are stooped
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œ œ
clouds
3
.
œ œ œ
Sud - den as thought,
œ .
are stooped
œœ
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œœ
b b œ. œ œ &bb J
15
white - ness of
bbb P b & w
œœ
œ œ
œ œ
light
star - tled near bird’s
bw
bw
low.
Oo.
3
œ
œ
œ
on
3
bœ
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ww w
œ bœ
hills
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of
w
snow
w
.
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w w
w w
w w w w w
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œ w ww w
œ
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bœ
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œ
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œ
new
w
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œ
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w
j
w
w w
p
w
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w
w w
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,
the
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low.
w
œ. w
cry,
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w
bb & bb
.
w
bbb P b w V
15
œ
w
w w
rst
œ
w
p
bw
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or
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œ
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low.
Slightly faster q = 72
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bœ
w
w
10
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P
, ,
bœ
œ
dropped from
œ
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p
div.
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from
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dropped
from
∑
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bœ
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5
b & b b b . b
20
div.
hills
of
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hills
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&
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of
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b
tum
-
.
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b
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to where the
ridge
where the unis.
J
b
where
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.. ? b b b n . b
to where the
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the
j
j
b
long rit.
white
∑
unis.
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woods
woods
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lie;
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p
n b
rit.
streams from
n
. .
, pp
and
, pp
F - . the
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the
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to
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n
b
trees
n
lift their
div.
tall
, pp
the
streams from
tall
ridge - trees, div.
ridge - trees, trees
tall
Hushed q = 68
and
and
lie;
b
unis.
, ppdiv. . Œ Ó pp
P n
.
rit.
n b
lie;
woods
long
p unis.
long
n Œ
p
Œ
b n
streams from
With more energy q = 80
Œ
bling
n b long
P b
n
streams from
P n
b
Œ
white
div.
-
P n
white
bling
-
rit. div.
ridge to
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bling
unis. rit.
b n b
b bF b & b b -
b
j
ridge
b
∑
24
V
of
? bb bb bbbb
tum
hills
20
b
With more energy q = 80
Hushed q = 68
lift their
n
trees,
n n
6
b & b bb œ
30
soft
œ bœ .
crowns
b & b bb
of white
œ
soft
soft
crowns
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Warm
old
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as
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as
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re
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.
œ
bove
.
œ
bove
slim
b . .
œ œ
bove
b œ ..
j œ œ
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the
24 Œ œ
the
re
P
bod - ies
b œœ
bod - ies
œ
44 44
U
" bb
U
" bb
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" b b
U n ww
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ww w w
bb
snow.
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or
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snow. rit.
p
n ww
or
œ œ
" bb
ww
snow.
rit.
or
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p
w w
snow.
b w w
ww
rit.
n ww w w
poco accel.
œ
œ
œ
Red House burns
œ yet
œ
œ
bright
be -
poco accel.
œ
œ
œ
Red House burns
44 œ
44
œ
œ
œœ
unis.
œ
Red House burns
œœ
44 œœ œ
œ
yet
.
œ
bright
be -
poco accel.
Red House burns
24 Œ
24 Œ œœœ
œ œ œ œ
pU n ww
rit.
œœ œœ œ
œœ œ
44 œœ
œ
œ
bœ
24 Œ œœ
the
.
bod - ies
b œœ
œœ œ
the
P
P
œ œœ
œ
or ecked with
œœ
slim
œœ
black
œ
slim
24 Œ
re
P rit. œ œ œ b b œ œœ b b
bove slim bod - ies
24 Œ
.
w
œ
-
b œ . œœ œœ
b .. .
œœ œ
re
œ œ
old
œœœœ
w
Warmly q = 56
b & b œ
-
œ œ a
.. .
w
as
*
. ...
œœ
œœ
Warm
36
œ bœ œœ
œ
a
white
Warmly q = 56
p unis. bb
36
white
œ bœ . .
œœ
œ
? bb b b
a
of white
of
b & b bb
-
* .. œœ
œ
? bb œ bb 30
white
crowns of
soft
a
.. œœ
œ
œ
œ
*
crowns of
b V b bb
*
j
div.
œ yet
œ yet
œœ
œœ
œ œ
œœ œ
œœ
œœ
.
œ
bright
be -
poco accel.
œ
œ
bright
be -
œ .
œœ
poco accel.
.
œ
œœ
41
&
Slightly faster q = 64
p bb
j
œ.
œ
œ
œ
œ
neath the<un - melt - ing snows
b p b & œ.
j
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
J
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
neath the<un - melt - ing snows
b pœ . b V
neath the<un - melt - ing snows
p ? b œ. b
J
œ
œ
neath the<un - melt - ing snows
41
Slightly faster q = 64
b & b œœ ..
j
œ œ
? b b œœ ..
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ
J
SI P b œ . œj b &
œœ
œœ
œ œ
œ œ
œ
slow,
b P & b .
œ
of
pine
and
œ
larch,
œ
œ
œ
of
pine
and
larch,
œ
œ
œ
of
pine
and
larch,
œ œ
œ œ
œœ
œ .
œ œ
œ.
slow,
b &b
P
as
slow,
œ .
œ œ œ
bP . b œ V
œ œ œ
slow,
moves
slow,
moves
P ? bb w w
slow,
45
b & b œ . œ
? b b œw w
j
œ
..
Œ
œ
œ
as
œ as
slow,
œ
œ
œœ œ
œ .
œ
œ
œ
œ
œœ ..
j œ œœ
œ
Feb - ru cresc.
œ
-
œ
Feb - ru cresc.
œ
j
slow
..
œ
a - yr
œœ
œ
moves
-
œ -
œ
œ
œ
œ
a - yr
as
œ
œ
a - yr
moves
as
œ
div.
œ œ
œ
a - yr
œœ
œœ œ
œœ œ
œœœ
œ
œ
as
œ œ
,F
œ
moves
œ œ
œœ
moves as
œ
-
œ
cresc.
Feb - ru
.
slow,
as
,
œ
œ
œ
moves
œœ
œ
.
œ
slow,
œ .
j
œ
,
slow
S II
w
and
œ
œ
œ
,
pine
œ œ
, div.j cresc. œ œ œ
larch, while Feb - ru
of
moves as
œ
œ.
œ
œ
œ
œ œ
45
œ
7
cresc.
œ
œœ œœ
œ
œ œ
moves
as
œœ
œœ œœ
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ 3
as Spring might nev - er
,F œ
cresc.
œ
œ
come,
œ œ œ 3
as Spring might nev - er
,F
.
œ
cresc.
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
come,
œ
as
slow
œ
œ
as
slow
œ œ
. œ œ
as
slow
as Spring might nev - er
œ œœ
. ..
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ
œœœ
œœ œ
œœ œ
œœ œ
œœ œ
œœ œ
œ œ œ
. œ
as Spring might nev - er
œ
œ œ
œ
,F œ
cresc.
œ
as Spring might nev - er,
,F œ cresc. œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œ
œœ
œœ
3
8
b œ ,œ b &
50
œ œ œ 6 4
f
3
might nev - er come
b &b œ &
bb
3
,
œ
rit. f 6 bw . 4
,
œ
œ
nev - er,
,œ œ
œœ
nev - er
come,
3
œ
œ
œ œ
œ bœ œ œ
? b b b
œ
œœ œ
œ œœ œ
3
-
-
-
er
come
come
œ œ w March.
rit. f 64 b -
nev
f rit. 6 bb ww .. 4
-
-
-
er
come
come
64 b b œœ œ rit.
b 64 b b ww ..
Expressively q = 72
bbbb œ -
ƒ Œ œ
4 b 4 -
ƒ Œ œ
bbbb
4 4
ƒ Œ bœ
bbbb œ
44 b -
ƒ Œ œ
bbbb
4 b b 4
Ó
ƒ b b b b
March.
March.
A
A
A
A
ww
44
b
Œ
44 b b
Ó
bbbb -
-
-
-
œ
such
mid
such
œ
œ
œ
mid such snows, by
mid
such
œœ œœ -
mid such
Expressively q = 72
b b b b œ œ
bbbb
œ
mid
A
œ bœ
œ
mid such snows, by
4 b 4 -
March.
œ œœ
ƒ Œ bœ A
March.
f
rit.
3
might nev - er come
come,
Œ
nev
œ œ œ 6 4
œ
T II bb
b & b
bœ
nev - er
? b b b 50
f
rit.
might nev - er come,
b Vb Œ
March.
œ œ œ 6 b 4
œ
come, TI
V
,
4 4
œ œ w
rit.
œ œ
œ œ
œ
œœ
œœ
9
b & b bb œ
54
œ
œ
œ
œ
gen - er - a - tions
b & b bb .
,
b & b bb .
, div.
snows,
a
œœ
snows,
b V b bb œ
œ
a
œ
œ
œ bœ
-
snows,
a
? b b bb
œœ
-
mid such
b & b bb ? bb b b
snows,
œ bœ
-
œ
by
œ
, ,
œ
œ
b œœ
..
-
a
œ
œ
œ œœ
œœ œ
œœ œœ
œœ
œœ
œœ œ
œ. b .
b œœ . . bœ
tions
haunt - ed,
œœ
œœ
b œœœ
œ
œ
œœ
œ
œ œ œ
œ b œœ
œœ. .
œ
œœ
-
.
œœ
..
œ
œ
, ,
œ
œ
ech - oes, mem - o
œ
œ
. b .
œ
ech - oes,
by
gen - er - a - tions
œ
haunt - ed,
œœ
mid such snows by
œ œ
œ
by
œ
œ
ech - oes, mem - o
œ
œ
..
œ
œ
œ
œ
gen - er - a - tions
.
haunt - ed,
-
bœ
.
œ
œœ
gen - er
snows,
54
œ
œ
mid such snows, by
gen - er - a - tions
b V b bb .
œ
œœ b œ œ
,
.
haunt - ed,
œ
,
.
,
.
haunt - ed,
ech
-
oes,
œœœ œœ
œœœ œ
œ
œ
œ
Œ
-
,
10 58
&
œ bbbb
3
œ
œ œ œ
ries and
b & b bb œ .
mem
, œ-ƒ œ-
poco rit.
œ .
dreams en - chant - ed,
that old
, -ƒ œ œ
Broadly q = 68
œ
œ
house called The
w Heart
poco rit.
œ
J
- o - ries,
œ
œ
ech - oes
and
dreams, that old
ƒ ,- -
bœ
œ
house called The
bw Heart,
poco rit.
b & b bb œ .
mem
V
bbbb œ
j œ J
- o - ries,
mem
ech - oes 3
œ
œ œ œ
and
b
œ œ
- -
dreams, that old
, œ-ƒ œ-
œ .
œ
J
- o - ries,
? b b œœ bb
œœ
58
3 œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœ
œœ
mem - o - ries
b & b bb ? bb bb
œœ . œ
œœ
house
called
b b œœ The
that old
, -ƒ œ œ
œ
œ
house called The
w Heart,
poco rit.
œ
œ
ech - oes
and
dreams, that old
, œ-ƒ œ-
poco rit.
œœ . œœ .
,
b b ww
poco rit.
dreams en - chant - ed,
ries and
b V b bb œ .
œœ b
œœ
j
œœ œ œœ
and
œ
œ
œœ
b ww
dreams,
œœ b . œœ . œ b ww
œœ œœ
Œ
b
poco rit.
œ œ
that old
œœ œœ
œœ œœ
œœ œ
œœ œ
bœ
œ
house called The
bw Heart,
œ , œ
b b ww
house
Broadly q = 68
b b
œ œ
œœ œ
b b ww
bœ
œ
b .. . Œ b œœ œ
b œœ
called
The
b œœ
œœ
œ
&
b b b rit.Œ œ b œ b &
63
œ-
Expressively q = 68
œ œ
burns,
b & b bb Œ
rit.
œ
burns,
nœ .
burns,
The Heart
rit.
b & b b b b b
unis.
œ .
rit.
b V b bb Œ
rit.
? bb bb
rit.
63
b & b bb &
bbbb
œ
The Heart
œ
The Heart
b w
Heart
b Œ
œœ œ
b œ
rit.
b b w
œ
and
œ
œ
burns,
and
. still
œ still
œ
œ b
.
œ
.
burns,
burns,
and
still
w
.
œ
.
burns,
burns,
and
still
unis.
w
.
œ
b .
burns,
burns,
and
still
burns,
bw
œ œ œ J
œ b
burns,
Heart
b V b bb Œ
œ.
Expressively q = 68
nœ
.
b œww .
œ
œ
and
j
œœ . œ œ b œœ œ . b .
?
œœ
still
œ
11
P
.
œ
out - braves
œ
the
P b .
œ
out - braves
œ
the
P
j
œ.
out - braves
œ
P œ
œ œ
œ
œ
œ
the mor - tal
œ
out - braves the
œ
P œ
mor - tal
œ
œ
out - braves the
œ
mor - tal
P
.
œ
out - braves
œœ . b
œœ
b ..
œ œ
the
b œ ... œ .
œ
œ œ
J
Œ œ
œœ œœ œ
12
F b b & b b - .
68
mor
F b b & b b n - .
-
tal
j
mor - tal threat
&
bbbb
F
n - .
threat
of
of
threat
of
n - hang
F
the
hang
F
the
hang
the
hang
..
ing
ing
-
-
-
j
Œ
p
rit.
the
hang
-
-
p -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
the hang - ing
p
the hang - ing
rit.
hill. rit.
Œ
hill. rit.
hill.
Œ
Œ
Œ
p
p -
The
p -
The
The
Œ
rit.
ing
Œ
ing
-
Œ
hill,
hill,
rit.
ing
ing
Œ
hill,
ing
rit.
n b
-
-
F
of
tal
hang
j - -
threat
-
J
J
F
-
hang
68
n b ? bb b . b
the
F b - . V b bb
b & b b b n ..
of
threat
the
the
F b - . V b bb
mor
F . -
of
threat
F ? b b - . bb
F - .
13 Peacefully q = 60
b & b bb w
73
hill.
b & b bb w
molto legato
w
∑
Œ œ œ œ
w
∑
Œ œ œ œ
A - mid such
n snows,
molto legato
A - mid such
hill.
œ œ
snows,
molto legato A I stagger breathing
b & b bb
w
œ
hill.
œ
w
œ
…burns,
œ
w
burns,
molto legato A II stagger breathing
b & b bb
œ
hill.
œ
w
œ
…burns,
molto legato stagger breathing
b V b bb œ . b V b bb .
Heart,
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The
molto legato B I stagger breathing
? bb bb
œ
burns,
molto legato stagger breathing
The
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burns,
Heart
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burns,
The
burns,
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burns,
.
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w
burns,
.
Heart
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burns,
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.
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burns,
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The
The
Heart
molto legato B II stagger breathing
? bb bb w
w
Heart
73
Peacefully q = 60
b & b bb
wœ
? bb b b
w
œ
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wœ
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w
w
burns,
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w
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.
w
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Heart
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n
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,
b & b bb .
78
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burns,
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,
.
such
burns,
burns,
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snows…
burns,
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.
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burns,
78
b & b bb
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.
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.
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burns,
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,
.
,
.
n
.
15
b & b bb œ œ
83
stagger breathing
Heart
dim. poco a poco
burns,
b & b bb w b & b bb
w
w
,stagger breathing
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Heart
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w
w
w
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w
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w
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w
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w
burns,
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burns,
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burns,
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w
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burns,
The
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w
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.
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.
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w
w
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burns,
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.
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b & b bb
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dim. poco a poco
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Heart
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burns,
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burns,
dim. poco a poco
burns,
b & b bb
Heart
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16
b & b bb w
88
b & b bb œ œ œ œ
The Heart
b & b bb b & b bb
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w
The Heart
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burns,
pp
.
w
w
burns,
burns,
w
burns,
w
burns,
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w
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.
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rit.
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Heart
burns,
b V b bb œ .
burns,
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rit.
burns,
The
Heart
88
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-
w
burns.
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w
The
pp
pp -
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The
rit.
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rit.
-
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Heart
b -
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Heart
b -
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Heart
b
Heart
pp
w.
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n œ
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w
U
burns.
U w
burns.
U w
burns.
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burns.
w
burns.
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n œœ
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U
w-
burns, The
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w
w
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.
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pp
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w
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burns.
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rit.
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burns.
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w
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.
w
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U
n -
pp
.
pp
n œ-
The
rit.
b V b bb .
? bb b b
w
rit.
burns,
b & b bb
rit.
œ
U
w w
b
w w
G-9289
7
Code B16
85147 92890
4