At Dawn SSA - Sheet Music

SKU: CF.CM9824

ISBN 9781491168738. UPC: 798408100681. Key: D minor. English.

At Dawn, beautifully crafted for treble choir with piano and optional violin, celebrates the awe-inspiring beauty of a sunrise. The piece contrasts the excitement of nature anticipating the dawn—reflected in shifting tonalities of the verses—with the steady, regal arrival of the sun in the refrain. A soft Latin text builds to a triumphant three-part C major chord, musically depicting the sunrise’s grandeur. The piano part alternates between strength and a harp-like delicacy, enhancing this vivid and uplifting portrayal of dawn’s arrival.
There are magnificent, awe-inspiring events happening in the natural world every day. Among many other natural phenomena, we have the daily opportunity to take a breath, look up, and receive the gift of a sunrise. In this piece, we see various natural elements in the earth and sky anticipating the dawn, and its ultimate glorious arrival. Musically, we see a contrast between excited, anticipatory verses with frequently shifting tonalities and the more steady, regal arrival of the refrain. This Latin refrain enters softly and builds to the triumphant three-part arrival of a C major chord. That is the sun rising.To the piano accompanist: You are the energy of this piece. The voices ride on your driving force. Think of the Latin section (i.e. m57) as having beautifully-connected, long phrases, not a beat every dotted quarter note. Also, notice the ending. When you release your left hand as notated, the goal is for the high Db major chord in the right hand to continue “shimmering” for as long as possible. To this end, keep the right hand on the keys until there is no audible remnant of that sound. The chorus should also remain focussed on the sound until it dies away completely.To the violinist: Consider yourself performing a vocal duet with the chorus. Enter with strength at the opening. Seek a perfect balance between your voice and that of the chorus. Translation and Pronunciation:Use Ecclesiastical (Roman) Latin Pronunciation Lux, lux de caelo. Fiat lux perpetua. LOOX, LOOX DEH CHEH-LOH. FEE-AWT LOOX PEHR-PEH-TOO-AHLight, light from heaven. Let there be light, perpetual light. Lux, lux in terra. Fiat lux perpetua LOOX, LOOX EEN TEH-RAH. FEE-AWT LOOX PEHR-PEH-TOO-AHLight, light on the Earth. Let there be light, perpetual light.