A Paean. For choir, solo tenor and ensemble. Text by E.A.Poe

"A Paean", for solo tenor, mixed choir, two clarinets, two bassoons and two horns. Text by Edgar Allan Poe.

It was performed by the Nijmeegs Universitair Chamber choir "Audite Nova," directed by Klaas Stok. The tenor solo is Johan Martin.

This composition won the first price on the 1996 Gelders Podium for Composers; the concert took place on the 22nd. November, 1997.

André van Haren was born in 1963 in The Netherlands and currently lives in Gothenburg, Sweden.
He studied piano with Robert Groslot and composition with Henk Alkema. In 1990 he received a Bachelor Degree in Music in Classical Piano and Composition from the Conservatory in Utrecht, The Netherlands. His main instrument is the piano. He has been composing and arranging music for various ensembles including piano, choir, chamber ensembles and orchestra for over sixteen years.

Here is the complete text of the poem:

A PAEAN

by Edgar Allan Poe

I.

How shall the burial rite be read?
The solemn song be sung ?
The requiem for the loveliest dead,
That ever died so young?

II.

Her friends are gazing on her,
And on her gaudy bier,
And weep ! — oh! to dishonor
Dead beauty with a tear!

III.

They loved her for her wealth —
And they hated her for her pride —
But she grew in feeble health,
And they love her — that she died.

IV.

They tell me (while they speak
Of her "costly broider'd pall")
That my voice is growing weak —
That I should not sing at all —

V.

Or that my tone should be
Tun'd to such solemn song
So mournfully — so mournfully,
That the dead may feel no wrong.

VI.

But she is gone above,
With young Hope at her side,
And I am drunk with love
Of the dead, who is my bride. —

VII.

Of the dead — dead who lies
All perfum'd there,
With the death upon her eyes,
And the life upon her hair.

VIII.

Thus on the coffin loud and long
I strike — the murmur sent
Through the grey chambers to my song,
Shall be the accompaniment.

IX.

Thou died'st in thy life's June —
But thou did'st not die too fair:
Thou did'st not die too soon,
Nor with too calm an air.

X.

From more than fiends on earth,
Thy life and love are riven,
To join the untainted mirth
Of more than thrones in heaven —

XII.

Therefore, to thee this night
I will no requiem raise,
But waft thee on thy flight,
With a Pæan of old days.

For more information about this piece and my other music, please visit: www.andrevanharen.com

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• A Paean
• André
• Andre
• van
• haren
• Andreas
• Haren
• paean
• by
• Edgar
• Allan
• Poe
• poem
• poetry
• talk
• read
• words
• tears
• death
• world
• memories
• a paean
• Paean
• Pӕan
• music
• choir
• song
• sing
• singing
• 'A
• Paean'
• Edgar Allan Poe