Summer’s Orison (1993)

Summer’s orison is a work conceived for an ensemble of women’s voices, sopranos and mezzo-sopranos, singing a capella. The following score (for ten singers) represents what I consider to be the ideal minimum personnel requirement, and distribution of parts, for the work’s performance. The work can, however, be satisfactorily performed by as few as seven singers, and by an unlimited maximum number. In the same way, the solo parts in the three “chorus” sections (m.56, m.114 and m.178, respectively) may be distributed among as few, or as many, singers as desired. In place of phrasing slurs, I have inserted apostrophes at breathing points. With the exception of the opening section (where staggered breathing may be used), all music between these points should be sung in one breath.