Silent Snowfall
by Laura Farnell
SA - Sheet Music

Choral SA choir, piano

SKU: CF.BL1111

Composed by Laura Farnell. Fold. Octavo. 12 pages. Duration 3 minutes, 44 seconds. BriLee Music #BL1111. Published by BriLee Music (CF.BL1111).

UPC: 680160912223. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: F minor. English, English. John Vance Cheney (184201922).

Farnell captures the exquisite beauty, wonder, and starkness of the falling snow through both picture painting and melodic treatment in this poignant and accessible piece for treble choirs. The optional notes throughout provide opportunities to "fill out" chords at the discretion of the director. Silent Snowfall is a holiday programming must. Also available for T(B)B Voices (BL1066).
The author of the text of this piece, John Vance Cheney (1849-1922), was an American poet who, in addition to contributing to literary magazines, also spent part of his life teaching music and managing libraries. His poem about the silent beauty of a winter snowfall is included in its entirety below: Snowflakes Falling all the night-time, Falling all the day, Silent into silence, From the far-away; Stilly host unnumbered, All the night and day Falling, falling, falling, From the far away, -- Never came like glory To the fields and trees, Never summer blossoms Thick and white as these. To the dear old places Winging night and day, Follow, follow, follow, Fold them soft away; Folding, folding, folding, Fold the world away, Souls of flowers drifting Down the winter day. The poem asserts that the snowflakes on the trees and fields are more beautiful than the blossoms that were there in the summer. It poetically depicts the snowflakes as the drifting souls of those summer flowers. The poem is set to music in a minor key (minor keys are often used to convey sadness), representing the stark, melancholy beauty of the "souls of flowers" covering the world. The poem's repeated text (e.g., "falling, falling, falling") helps to capture the continuous nature of the snowfall. Just as the adjectives in the poetry characterize the snowfall as soft and gentle, strive to sing this piece in a gentle, legato style. Be sure that when the melody is in the bass part that the tenor part is performed with a hushed, delicate quality. As you sing, try to let your performance depict for your audience the quiet beauty of the falling snow.
The author of the text of this piece, John Vance Cheney (1849–1922), was an American poet who, in addition to contributing to literary magazines, also spent part of his life teaching music and managing libraries. His poem about the silent beauty of a winter snowfall is included in its entirety below:SnowflakesFalling all the night-time,Falling all the day,Silent into silence,From the far-away;Stilly host unnumbered,All the night and dayFalling, falling, falling,From the far away, —Never came like gloryTo the fields and trees,Never summer blossomsThick and white as these.To the dear old placesWinging night and day,Follow, follow, follow,Fold them soft away;Folding, folding, folding,Fold the world away,Souls of flowers driftingDown the winter day.The poem asserts that the snowflakes on the trees and fields are more beautiful than the blossoms that were there in the summer. It poetically depicts the snowflakes as the drifting souls of those summer flowers. The poem is set to music in a minor key (minor keys are often used to convey sadness), representing the stark, melancholy beauty of the "souls of flowers" covering the world. The poem's repeated text (e.g., "falling, falling, falling") helps to capture the continuous nature of the snowfall. Just as the adjectives in the poetry characterize the snowfall as soft and gentle, strive to sing this piece in a gentle, legato style. Be sure that when the melody is in the bass part that the tenor part is performed with a hushed, delicate quality. As you sing, try to let your performance depict for your audience the quiet beauty of the falling snow.