Stoke Fleming

"Stoke Fleming" by award-winning composer Greg Bartholomew is a lush, atmospheric work for unaccompanied mixed choir (SATB). Duration: 3:30.  Named after a small hamlet overlooking the English Channel, this evocative composition sets original poetry by the composer. The text utilizes vivid, tactile maritime imagery—the crashing, caressing motion of a rolling wave breaking against a rugged stone—as a powerful, deeply felt metaphor for connection, touch, and transient presence.  Musically, Bartholomew translates his poem into a mesmerizing, fluid choral journey. Completed in January 2000 and given a reading by the prestigious Gregg Smith Singers, the piece showcases Bartholomew’s hallmark harmonic clarity, expressive part-writing, and independent vocal lines. Designed for late intermediate ensembles, the a cappella architecture allows choirs to deeply explore rich textual coloring, precise intonation, and seamless dynamic blending. The shifting, cascading layers beautifully mirror the rhythm of ocean waves spreading across the open sand before falling back into the deep.  An ideal and deeply resonant programming selection, Stoke Fleming is a standout choice for concerts themed around the sea, modern American poetry, meditation, or the natural elements.