Sleep (choral song)
Encyclopedia
Sleep is a choral
composition by Eric Whitacre
. It was originally set to the text of Robert Frost
's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
" however, Whitacre never secured permission to use the poem. After a long battle, the estate of Robert Frost forbade Whitacre from using the text until it became public domain in 2038. Whitacre had the lyrics rewritten by his long-time collaborator, Charles Anthony Silvestri, and has openly stated that he prefers Silvestri's lyrics and will never use Frost's lyrics again, even in 2038.
"Sleep" has been selected for Eric Whitacre's 2011 Virtual Choir project. The video will be posted online in April 2011; 2,052 voices have been uploaded by choir members from 58 countries.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
composition by Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre is an American composer, conductor and lecturer. He is one of the most popular and performed composers of his generation. In 2008, the all-Whitacre choral CD Cloudburst became an international best-seller, topping the classical charts and earning a Grammy nomination...
. It was originally set to the text of Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is a poem written in 1922 by Robert Frost, and published in 1923 in his New Hampshire volume. Imagery and personification are prominent in the work...
" however, Whitacre never secured permission to use the poem. After a long battle, the estate of Robert Frost forbade Whitacre from using the text until it became public domain in 2038. Whitacre had the lyrics rewritten by his long-time collaborator, Charles Anthony Silvestri, and has openly stated that he prefers Silvestri's lyrics and will never use Frost's lyrics again, even in 2038.
"Sleep" has been selected for Eric Whitacre's 2011 Virtual Choir project. The video will be posted online in April 2011; 2,052 voices have been uploaded by choir members from 58 countries.