Message in the Snow

Libretto by Kendra Harder
​
2020, 2023

Instrumentation: Contralto (E3 - C5), piano
​Duration: 3'

It was a beautiful January morning in 2017 as I walked towards the Broadway Bridge on my way to work. It had just snowed, and I mentally remarked how perfectly serene everything looked. As I approached the bridge and saw the river below, I noted a curious pattern of footprints on the ice. Why, those are letters! Someone had written something in the snow on the river. I won't give away the ending, but that story has remained in my memory for years. I've always thought it would make a beautiful art song.

This work has been created through two 24-hour Compose-a-thons. It's first iteration was for sopano and piano, but when picking it up to finish it, I decided I wanted to write it for my voice. So this work is catered to a vocal range of E3 - C5. If you have these notes, please feel free to sing this song. 

Recording from the 24CE2020/1 - first and partial draft of Message in the Snow