"My love is come to me" [James R. Day]

"My love is come to me" [James R. Day]

First line of lyrics: My heart is like a singing bird

Part of: "Rossetti Songs"

Day, James R.; music (American, 1948-2018)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

2000 [copyright]

Dayton: Roger Dean Publishing Co.

genre: song|song cycle

solo: high voice

instrumentation: piano

initial sharps/flats: five flats

initial time signature: 3/4

origin: United States

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Birthday"

Place in the larger work: The fifth song of five in the song cycle "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "Somewhere or other:; 2. "Echo"; 3. "When windflowers blossom"; 4. "For hope that is so fair"; 5. "My love is come to me."

Composition history: Notes from the composer included on score: "My affinity for the poetry of Christina Rossetti has spanned most of my adult life. I have found her poems to be, for the most part, deftly simple and remarkably subtle. Her poetry reflects a truism that a life fully lived has a profound significance for each of us as we live the balance of our own lives. Although times and circumstances vary, the fundamental challenges are perennial. I am fascinated by the close kinship of Christina's thoughts about the beauty and pain of human love. It was this 'closeness' that led me to select the particular poems about love to be included in this cycle. I hope you enjoy them. — JRD"

Tempo markings: "Andante"; quarter note = 92

Performance instructions: A note on page 30 indicates that "pomegranates" should be pronounced with three syllables only, "Pome-gran-ates." Notes from the editor included on score: "Reflecting on both the beauty and the pain of human love, each of these Rossetti text settings may be sung individually, or performed as a complete set for a song recital. In the best sense of 20th-century music, these new compositions marry the voice with the accompaniment and require accomplished performers for both. — Scott Foss"

Dedication: "to Kevin and Emily Shumway"

Notes: The score includes phonetic spelling and definitions for "dais" and "vair" on page 29. "Dais" is defined as "platform above the floor" and "vair" is defined as "the bluish gray and white fur of a squirrel prized for ornamental use in medieval times."

Format 1: musical score

6 pages (pp. 26-31)

Cataloguer: Sarah Pennington, University of Ottawa

musical score: University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia

Record: CRM-birthday-day

"© 2000 Roger Dean Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is a criminal offense subject to prosecution. THE CCLI LICENSE DOES NOT GRANT PERMISSION TO PHOTOCOPY THIS MUSIC"

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