In the Stillness: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Audrey Snyder
Item: 35-PK00263842
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Description
A Japanese Haiku from the 19th century shapes the atmosphere of this graceful setting with gentle call and response vocal lines and an expressive accompaniment for piano or optional bass, percussion and violin (or other melody instrument). In English translation: "In the stillness, fireflies are glowing over deep water."
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00263842
More about this title
About the Composer: Audrey Snyder
Audrey Snyder has become one of the most performed choral composers in American music education, known for settings that balance artistic sophistication with genuine accessibility. Her work consistently demonstrates deep respect for text, whether she's setting poetry, hymns, or traditional verse, and her instrumental writing enhances rather than complicates the vocal writing.
Snyder's compositions appear regularly on festival and contest programs at every level, from middle school through college. She understands how choirs learn, what instruments work in real rehearsal spaces, and how to write music that sounds substantial without demanding virtuosity.
Why we love this
The call and response structure gives each voice section a moment to shine while keeping the texture transparent and shaped by the text. Snyder's restraint here is the real craft: she uses minimal harmonic language and gentle dynamic movement to let a 19th-century Japanese image do the emotional work.
What to expect
The music unfolds like watching firelight shimmer across still water at dusk. Vocal lines move slowly and deliberately, with the piano providing soft harmonic support that never overwhelms. There's quietness throughout, but not emptiness; the piece finds richness in space and restraint.
Who it's for
This works for developing choirs that are ready for text sensitivity and gentle two part writing, and also for more advanced groups seeking a moment of reflection in a concert. The flexible instrumentation means you can perform it as written or scale the accompaniment to your resources.
How to get the most out of it
- Treat the optional instruments as genuine choices, not afterthoughts. A single violinist adding the sustained melody line or gentle bass support changes the piece's character significantly; decide early what your ensemble can offer.
- Shape the call and response phrases with slight rubato. These lines breathe like conversation, not mechanical exchanges; the piano accompaniment should follow the singers' phrasing rather than anchor it rigidly.
- Balance the vocal lines carefully during the dialogue sections. One section should lead while the other responds, creating forward motion rather than trading solos.
- Use the recorded accompaniment (if available) as a starting point for learning, but encourage singers to listen to the live piano part once they know their music. The human touch in the accompaniment matters to the piece's expressive quality.
How to use it
Position this early in a concert to establish an intimate, reflective mood, or save it for the final selection to leave the audience in a peaceful frame of mind. It pairs well with other settings of nature imagery or world poetry, or with pieces that explore silence and simplicity in different musical languages.
Skills your students will build
- Call and response phrasing across two or more voice parts
- Singing with sustained, gentle dynamics across entire phrases
- Text expression in English lyrics set to traditional non-Western verse
- Balancing vocal lines with optional instrumental accompaniment
- Ensemble listening in slow, undulating harmonic movement