"Sure On This Shining Night Morten Lauridsen’ SATB, Secular ‘win peerrusleCiaclea.com BresrmusicSure On This Shining Night Sure on this shining night Of starmade shadows round, Kindness must watch for me This side the ground. The late year lies down the north. Allis healed, all is health. High summer holds the earth. Hearts all whole. Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder Wand’ ring far alone Of shadows on the stars —James Agee Copyright © 1968 by The James Agee Trust. - From Nocturnes, The American Choral Directors Association 2005 Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission Premiere performance of the Nocturnes at the ACDA Los Angeles National Convention, February, 2005 by the Donald Brinegar Singers and Morten Lauridsen, piano The first three Nocturnes —Sa Nuit d'ité (R.M. Rilke), Soneto de la Noche (Pablo Neruda) and Sure On This Shining Night—may be performed either separately or as a eyele (in that order and including the Epilogue). The Epilogue: Voici le soir, premiered by the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall conducted by Grant Gershon with the composer at the piano, is only to be performed if the entire cycle is done, following Sure On This Shining Night. In that case, the final chord of Sure Ou This Shining Night is held with a fermata and then the chorus begins the Epilogue without a break between these two movements, I set poct James Agee's marvelous verse very much like a song from the American musical theater and it shonld be sung in that manner. Composer Morten Lauridsen is most noted for his seven vocal cycles—Les Chansons des Roses, Madrigali, Mid-Iinter Songs, Cuatro Canciones, A Winter Come, Nocturnes, and Lux Aeterna—and his series of @ cappella motets (including O Magnum Mysterium and O Nata Lux) which are regularly performed and recorded by distinguished ensembles and vocal artists throughout the world. The first three Nociurnes have been recorded by Polyphony, conducted by Stephen Layton, on Lauridsen ~ Nocturnes (Hyperion); the entire eycle is recorded by Voce, on Sure Ou This Shining Night (available at voceine.com) and Lauridsen ~ Mid-Winter Songs by The Singers ~ Minnesota Choral Artists. All three recordings are accompanied by the composer at the piano. Designated an “American Choral Master” by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2006, Mr. Lauridsen (b. 1943) is Distinguished Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California Thorton School of Music and served as Composer-in-Residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1994 to 2001, In 2007, Lauridsen was awarded the National Medal of Arts for his “radiant choral works combining musical power, beauty and spiritual depth that have thrilled audiences worldwide.” For more about Morten Lauridsen: www peermusicClassical.com and www,mortenlauridsen.comSure On This Shining Night James Agee Morten Lauridsen Flowing, tempo rubato (J = ca. 72) poco rit, a tempo. a — Piano P espressivo 23, 5a, 4 Pd —1 Pea P_4 on this” shin -ing on this shin - a tempo night of star-made shad-ows round, kkind-ness must wateh for me this side—_the ground, on this night of star-made shad-ows round, —_-kind-ness must watch for me this, side...the ground, on this ‘poco rit, 8a, Qa_, P——1 fo. 2o—_ *Omit if the low As are out of range. Poctn Copyright 1968 by The James Agee Trust. Used by Permission. onsus ‘opyright 2005 by Songs of Peer, Lid. Intemational Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. 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