I Thought of You (Mixed Choir): Mixed Voices (SSAATTBB)

Ešenvalds brings genuine lyrical restraint to Sara Teasdale's poem, letting the text breathe while the choir supports a soprano soloist in a way that feels conversational rather than operatic. The mixed voicing allows for rich harmonic color without drowning out the intimacy at the heart of the piece.

Tender and introspective, moving through moments of gentle yearning with the soprano voice floating above warm harmonic support. The setting feels both modern and timeless, with the kind of emotional precision that makes a simple poem feel newly discovered.

Mixed choirs with a confident soprano soloist and secure ensemble blend. This piece rewards choirs that have developed facility with divided voices and can navigate chromatic harmony with clarity.

• Balance the soprano soloist carefully in rehearsal; mark dynamic levels in the accompanying eight-part texture so no voice covers the solo line.
• Shape phrases through vowel consistency and sustained legato rather than frequent dynamic shifts; the poetry will carry the emotional arc if the singing is smooth.
• Allow the choir to breathe naturally at phrase breaks, especially where the text invites reflection, rather than pushing through for momentum.

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert devoted to contemporary choral literature, or pair it with other settings of Teasdale's work for a themed program exploring modern approaches to early twentieth-century American poetry. It works equally well in a concert of love songs and intimate texts, where its quiet sophistication stands apart from more dramatic pieces.

• Singing chromatic harmony with intonation accuracy
• Supporting a solo line as an eight-part ensemble without losing individual voice independence
• Blending divided voices (SSAATTBB) while maintaining clarity of all parts
• Text painting and emotional expression in contemporary secular choral music