Rainfall

Conductor Notes:

This is the first movement of Timothy Corlis’ suite for choir and marimba, Heart Songs of the White Wampum. While it is possible to substitute piano for marimba in this movement, the “raindrop” sounding resonance of the original marimba truly makes this piece its most effective.

Energetic unison over a challenging, florid marimba accompaniment. Just a few harmony notes toward the end of the movement. Diction was our challenge at the tempo called for in the score.

Texts:

I. Rainfall

FROM out of the west, where darkling storm-clouds float,
The ’waking of the wind pipes soft its rising note.

From out the west, o’er hung with fringes grey,
The wind preludes with a sigh, sighs its roundelay.

Blowing, singing, piping, laughing loud,
It scurries on before the grey storm-cloud;

Across the hollow and along the hill
It whips and whirls among the maples, till

With boughs upbent, and green of leaves blown wide,
The silver shines upon their underside.

A gusty freshening of humid air,
With showers laden, and with fragrance rare;

And now a little sprinkle, with a dash
Cool drops fall with sudden splash;

Then over field and hollow, grass and grain,
The loud, crisp whiteness of the nearing rain.