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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

Daisy Time

Name: Daisy Time
SKU: GP-D006
Availability: InStock

Martha Hill Duncan

“See, the grass is full of stars, Fallen in their brightness”

secular, spring, summer

Difficulty: 2

Duration: less than 3 min.

GP-D006

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voice, piano

This lilting tribute to daisies and summer has a gorgeous melody line propelled through various meter changes and supported by a “dancing” piano accompaniment. A joy to sing and perform!

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

See, the grass is full of stars,

Fallen in their brightness;

Hearts they have of shining gold,

Rays of shining whiteness.

Buttercups have honeyed hearts,

Bees they love the clover,

But I love the daisies’ dance

All the meadow over.

Blow, O blow, you happy winds,

Singing summer’s praises,

Up the field and down the field

A-dancing with the daisies.

– Marjorie Pickthall