“Life Has a Loveliness” is a positive, life-affirming work. To drive home the point that “life has a loveliness to sell,” the composer engages all the voices equally. Every voice is affirmed, all people are welcome to this happy feast. What begins as a relatively straightforward, 4 part, diatonic work gradually unfolds into an enriched climax with widely spaced and divided voices, supported by eminently playable accompaniment. Great for advanced high schools and college choirs.

Grace Brigham is a composer and soprano in Salt Lake City, Utah specializing in choral music. Her work is gaining increasing attention, with performances at the Kennedy Center and Mechanics Hall, and premieres by Cantus, the Washington National Cathedral Choir, the Western ACDA SSAA Honor Choir, American University Chorus, and many ensembles at St. Olaf College. She holds degrees from St. Olaf College and the European American Musical Alliance Summer Academy. Her piece “Discoveries” was named the winner of the Cantus Young & Emerging Composer Competition, and was described as follows: “Through daring harmony, exquisite text-painting and remarkable sensitivity, “Discoveries” was a celebration of the accomplishments of female scientists, a recognition of their marginalization and a strong call to action.” Grace has received commissions from Women’s Voices Chorus, the Washington National Cathedral, St. George Children’s Choir, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Assumption University, and Herriman High School Vivace. Additionally, Grace works as a freelance video and audio editor.

Composer’s Notes

I composed this piece in 2020, around the start of the pandemic. After being sent home from college during my senior year due to quarantine, I remember wondering when I’d be able to sing in a choir again. I wanted to write a piece that reminded me of the joy of singing with others, and this text by Sara Teasdale seemed to fit that description perfectly.

– Grace Brigham

Text

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up
Holding wonder in a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight, Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstacy
Give all you have been, or could be.

– Sara Teasdale

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