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About the Composer

Martha Hill Duncan

Martha Hill Duncan was a member of the first graduating class of the Houston High School for Performing and Visual Arts and earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin. She furthered her musical studies in Ithaca, NY with pianist Trudy Borden and in Toronto with composer Dr....

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Graphite Publishing

Grey Rocks and Greyer Seas

Name: Grey Rocks and Greyer Seas
SKU: GP-D011
Availability: InStock

Martha Hill Duncan

A jazz-inspired, romantic and touching song of love lost.

Art Songs

piano

high voice, medium voice

slow

secular

Difficulty: 3

Duration: less than 3 min.

GP-D011

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voice, piano

This jazz-inspired, romantic and touching song of love lost is set against the backdrop of the freely moving sea. Twists and turns in the tonality make for some exciting and tender moments that add to the bittersweet mood.

“Grey Rocks and Greyer Seas” won an Honorable Mention in the 2005 Diana Barnhart American Song Competition.

Composer’s Notes

My inspiration for Singing in the Northland began in 1998 when my daughter Claire was about twelve years old. Her voice teacher, Dr. Nadia Izbitskaya, lamented the lack of expressive contemporary vocal music for young singers and presented me with the challenge of writing for my own daughter. As a transplanted Texan, living in Canada, I decided to concentrate on Canadian poetry and the first song I wrote was “Quiet,” with poetry by Marjorie Pickthall. The others in the collection followed over the years as my daughter grew up and continued singing. This collection is dedicated to Claire for her patience, humour, insights and moreover, her beautiful and expressive voice.

Text

Grey rocks, and greyer seas,

   And surf along the shore—

And in my heart a name

   My lips shall speak no more.

The high and lonely hills

   Endure the darkening year—

And in my heart endure

   A memory and a tear.

Across the tide a sail

   That tosses, and is gone—

And in my heart the kiss

   That longing dreams upon.

Grey rocks, and greyer sea,

   And surf along the shore—

And in my heart the face

   That I shall see no more.

– Charles G.D. Roberts (1860-1943)