Category: Choral Music
Instrumentation: SATB and piano, or children's chorus or 2 treble voices and piano
Text / Source: Poem by Sara Teasdale
Publisher: Alymar Publications

The House of Dreams is the second song of Songs of Life, setting poetry by Sara Teasdale for chorus and piano. The song explores the importance of dreaming while also recognizing the need to remain grounded in reality, balancing imagination with practical awareness.

The setting is through-composed, though shaped with related phrases that give the music coherence and continuity. Baxter’s lyrical choral writing allows the poem’s reflective character to unfold naturally, while the piano part supports the singers with clarity and gentle expressive color.

The House of Dreams is well suited for intermediate choral ensembles, especially youth, school, and community choirs. It works effectively within the full cycle and can also stand alone in programs about aspiration, imagination, maturity, and the relationship between dreams and daily life.