That I Loved: SATB Choral Octavo
Words by Sara Teasdale, music by Mark Burrows
Item: 00-PO-0005708
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Sara Teasdale's poem about the end of life is the foundation of this soul-stirring choral setting. Text painting and sensitive musical choices bring the meaning of the words alive in an unforgettable way. Exquisite choral writing!
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0005708
More about this title
About the Composer: Mark Burrows
Mark Burrows composes and conducts across a wide range of choral settings, from children's ensembles to adult festival choirs. His catalogue appears regularly on state and festival lists, and he receives commissions consistently from groups seeking music that deepens their musical and textual understanding. He earned his undergraduate degree in music education from Southern Methodist University and completed graduate studies in conducting at Texas Christian University.
Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Burrows brings classroom experience and liturgical sensibility to his compositional voice. His work as Director of Children's Ministries at FUMC Fort Worth informs his understanding of how choirs of all ages connect with meaningful texts and thoughtful musical settings.
Why we love this
Burrows captures the profound tenderness of Teasdale's meditation on mortality without resorting to either sentimentality or austerity. The text painting feels earned rather than illustrative, letting the poem's quiet dignity shape the harmonic and melodic choices. Your singers will find themselves genuinely moved by how the music serves the words.
What to expect
The music unfolds with quiet introspection, inviting the listener into a private moment of reflection. Harmonic language is contemporary yet accessible, creating an atmosphere of contemplation that honors both the fragility and resilience of the poem's central theme.
Who it's for
This octavo suits advanced high school and college choirs, as well as accomplished community and church choirs preparing for concert or festival performance. The emotional maturity demanded by both text and music requires singers who can engage with subtlety and restraint.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the poetic text drive your rehearsal approach. Have singers read Teasdale's poem aloud as a group before learning notes, establishing emotional connection before technical work begins.
- Balance transparency in the voicing with richness in harmony. Burrows gives each voice part space to be heard, so resist the impulse to add extra weight or push beyond what the score requests.
- Shape phrases around the natural breathing and pacing of the text rather than musical phrase marks alone. This piece rewards singers who listen to what they are saying.
How to use it
Program this as part of a concert exploring mortality, legacy, or literary settings. It pairs naturally with other reflective works and provides a meaningful centerpiece for a concert built around end-of-life themes or celebrations of life. The 12-page length makes it manageable alongside more substantial works without diminishing its impact.
Skills your students will build
- Text painting and word-music relationships
- Singing with emotional vulnerability and restraint
- Harmonic listening in contemporary choral writing
- Phrasing from textual rather than purely musical cues