It’s a Long Way SATB Choir Duration: 2’15” NELL SHAW COHEN
It’saLongWay
SATBChoir
Duration:2’15”
NELLSHAWCOHEN
Cover:Detailfrom“Seascape”(1901),watercolor,WilliamTrostRichards(1833–1905).Publicdomain.
PublishedbyFarawayNearby(ASCAP).Textinthepublicdomain.MusicCopyright©2020NellShawCohen.AllRightsReserved.www.nellshawcohen.com
It’saLongWay
2020
SATBChoir
Duration:2’15”
CommissionedbySkylarkVocalEnsembleMatthewGuard,ArtisticDirector
NELLSHAWCOHEN
PerformanceNotes
Tenutimarkingsindicateamedium-weightaccentwith,whereappropriate,abelltoneattack.
Accentmarkingsduringasoftdynamicmaybeinterpretedasonestepupfromthedynamicinwhichtheyoccur(ex:soprano,m.11,accentsduringmpbecomemf).
ProgramNote
WilliamStanleyBraithwaitewasaself-taught,AfricanAmericanwriter,editor,andcritic,celebratedforhiscontributionstothedevelopmentof20thcenturyAmericanpoetry.Hispoem"It'saLongWay,"althoughpublishedin1904,speakspowerfullytomeinthemidstoftheCOVID-19pandemic.Manyofushavehadtoputdreamsonholdforanunknownlengthoftime—delayingpivotalstepsinourpersonallives,careers,oreducation,awaitingthedaywemaybereunitedwithlovedones.Inthismomentofwidespreaduncertaintyandpersonalyearning,we'realsoexperiencingapowerfulcollectiveyearningforajustsocietytoemergefromthecrucibleofcurrentevents.BraithwaitegivesvoicetoasentimentI'vebeenholdingontothesepastmonths,inlightofalloftheabove:"It’sworkwemust,andlovewemust,/Anddothebestwemay,/Andtakethehopeofdreamsintrust/Tokeepusdaybyday."I’vesoughttohonorBraithwaite’sbittersweetwordsofhopeanddeterminationwithachoralsettingforallofusstrivingtosafelyarriveatourjourneys'shore.
—NellShawCohen
Pleasevisitnellshawcohen.comfor:♦Composerbiographyandheadshot,♦Recordings,♦Performancehistory,♦...andmoreinformationaboutthiswork.
Text
It’saLongWay
It’salongwaythesea-windsblowOverthesea-plainsblue,—ButlongerfarhasmyhearttogoBeforeitsdreamscometrue.
It’sworkwemust,andlovewemust,Anddothebestwemay,AndtakethehopeofdreamsintrustTokeepusdaybyday.
It’salongwaythesea-windsblow—Butsomewhereliesashore—
usdownthetideofTimeshall owMydreamsforevermore.
From"LyricsofLifeandLove"(1904)byWilliamStaneyBraithwaite(1878-1962).
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It’s
Tenderly ( =c.70)
a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea
plains blue,—
It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea
plains blue,—
It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea
plains blue,—
It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea
plains blue,—
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
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But
long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams
come true.
But
long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams
come true.
But
long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams
come true.
But long
er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams
come true.
S.
A.
T.
B.
5
It’saLongWay
PublishedbyFarawayNearby(ASCAP).Textinthepublicdomain.MusicCopyright©2020NellShawCohen.AllRightsReserved.www.nellshawcohen.com
NellShawCohen(2020)TextbyWilliamStanleyBraithwaite(1878-1962)
CommissionedbySkylarkVocalEnsemble
It’s work
we must— And
Work—
And love we must— do the best we may, And
Work—
love— And do the best we may,—
Work—
love— do the best we may,—
S.
A.
T.
B.
A10
take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us day by day. It’s work we must, And
take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us day by day. and love we must,—
hope— trust— It’s work— must, and love— must, And
hope— trust— To keep us day by day— we must, love we must,—
S.
A.
T.
B.
B15
2 It’saLongWay
do the best we may,— And take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us
best we may, And take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us
do the best we may, And take the hope of dreams in trust To
do the best we may,— And take the hope of dreams in trust To
S.
A.
T.
B.
21
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day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But
day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But
keep us day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But
keep us day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But
S.
A.
T.
B.
C26
3It’saLongWay
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some where lies a shore— Thus down the tide of Time shall ow My
some where lies a shore— Down the tide of Time shall ow My
some where lies a shore— Thus down the tide of Time shall ow My
some where— a shore— Down the tide of Time shall ow My
S.
A.
T.
B.
32
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dreams for ev er more, My
rit.pocoapoco
dreams for ev er more.
rit.pocoapoco
dreams for ev er more, dreams for ev er more.
dreams for ev er more, My dreams for ev er more.
dreams for ev er more,— dreams for ev er more.
S.
A.
T.
B.
37
4 It’saLongWay