In This Short Life

Text painting abounds in this setting of a Dickinson poem concerning the brief time gifted to our human condition. With its sensitive text setting, interesting harmonic palette, and atypical accompaniment, this work makes for unique concert programming. The word "short" is always given an eighth duration followed by a rest in the chorus so that a quasi-staccato articulation is perceived with each occurrence.  This work may be performed in conjunction with Look back on Time with kindly Eyes to create a multi-movement setting of two Dickinson poems on time.