Vocal Compositions
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A brief, easy art song setting a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Afternoon on a Hill captures a moment of quiet happiness and gentle charm. Its simplicity, lyricism, and clear expression make it well suited for student singers and short recital programs.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: approximately 1 minute
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay -
A lyrical chamber song setting a poem by Willa Cather, April Twilight combines expressive vocal writing with the intimate colors of flute and guitar or piano. The work is well suited for recital programs exploring memory, poetry, and American literary sources.
Instrumentation: voice, flute, guitar/piano
Duration: 4 minutes
Publisher: Doberman YPPAN / DO 1232 -
A Christmas vocal duet with words drawn from several public-domain sources, Arise, O Earth combines sacred seasonal imagery with Baxter’s lyrical vocal writing. Its warm duet texture and graceful musical dialogue make it well suited for Advent and Christmas services, holiday concerts, and sacred recital programs.
Instrumentation: vocal duet, piano
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: words drawn from several public-domain sources -
A blues-inflected art song from Two Remembrances, August sets words by Susan Laura Lugo in a warm, atmospheric setting that evokes the stillness of a sweltering summer afternoon. Its compact scale and expressive color make it well suited for recital programs exploring contemporary American song.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A two-song cycle for voice and piano, Between the Shadow and Soulhonors the experience of lost love through poetry by Cathal ó Searcaigh and Thomas Hardy. Its intimate scoring, lyrical vocal writing, and concentrated emotional arc make it well suited for art song recitals.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Text / Source: words by Cathal ó Searcaigh, translated by Nigel McGloughlin; Thomas Hardy
Songs: Samhain 1994 (November 1994); If You Had Known -
A blues-inflected art song setting an elegiac poem by Linda Pastan, Caroline combines a spare vocal line with an expressive piano prelude, postlude, and extended accompaniment. Its restrained emotional character makes it well suited for recital programs exploring grief, memory, and contemporary American poetry.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: approximately 2.5–3 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music, LLC -
The opening song from Songs of Life, A Chart of a Small Sea sets poetry by Sara Teasdale in a lyrical, formally clear setting centered on identity and self-knowledge. Its flexible scoring makes it especially suitable for youth, school, community, and treble-voice ensembles.
Instrumentation: SATB and piano, or children's chorus or two treble voices and piano
Publisher: Alymar Publications -
A theatrical song setting Shakespeare’s words from Twelfth Night, Come Away, Come Away Death blends melancholy with gentle humor and mock-tragic character. Written for voice and guitar, its approachable scoring and expressive theatricality make it well suited for vocal recitals, Shakespeare programs, and dramatic performance settings.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: Les Productions D'Oz -
A lyrical setting of William Blake, A Cradle Song moves from the intimacy of a mother’s lullaby to a gentle sacred reflection on the Christ child. Its chromatic opening and simpler, folk-like second section make it well suited for recital, Advent, Christmas, and sacred programs.
Instrumentation: voice and guitar, or voice and piano
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: Les Productions D'OZ (voice and guitar); Doberman-Yppan (voice and piano) -
A lyrical art song with text by Miesha Lowery, Crossing Over the Border reflects on movement, transition, and the courage of beginning again. Its clear vocal writing and intimate storytelling make it well suited for contemporary art song recitals and programs exploring personal journey.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: text by Miesha Lowery -
A simple, folk-like song from Act I, Scene I of Lily, The Date Seller appears within the opera’s tableaux vivants sequence. Sung by Marie-Lucette Fabienne as she portrays Edwin Longsden Long’s painting, the piece offers a brief moment of grace, charm, and theatrical clarity.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Duration: 2 minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
Dos Canciones de La casa de Bernarda Alba, two short vocal works inspired by Federico García Lorca’s play, these songs contrast the intimate solo character of Ovejita with the folk-like choral energy of Ya salen los segadores. Flexible and direct, they are well suited for theatrical programs and concerts connected to Spanish literature.
Instrumentation: female voice a cappella or with guitar; men’s chorus and guitar
Difficulty: Easy to intermediate
Publisher: Alymar Publications / Les Productions d’OZ
Songs: Ovejita; Ya salen los segadores -
A brief, lyrical setting of Sara Teasdale, February Twilight captures a mood of romantic escape and quiet inward reflection. Its direct melodic language and approachable writing make it especially well suited for student recitals, art song programs, and performers seeking concise, expressive contemporary repertoire.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 1.5 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A humorous art song for soprano and piano, Flirt sets words by Nuala O’Connor in a light theatrical scene about a flirtatious encounter with a butcher. Compact and engaging, the song offers clear storytelling, comic timing, and playful recital charm.
Instrumentation: soprano, piano
Duration: 2 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: words by Nuala O’Connor
Publication: Modern Music for New Singers: 21st Century American Art Songs, Soprano, Volume 1 -
A deeply tender art song setting words by Nuala O’Connor, Foetal, Miscarriage and Dream moves from maternal closeness to grief, loss, and spiritual consolation. Intimate and compassionate, the song is well suited for programs exploring motherhood, faith, remembrance, and healing.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: words by Nuala O’Connor -
A prizewinning song cycle for voice and piano, Four Views of Love presents four contrasting romantic moods through poems by W. B. Yeats, Sara Teasdale, and Thomas Hardy. The cycle may be performed complete or excerpted individually for vocal recitals and contemporary art song programs.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 8–9 minutes
Difficulty: varies by song
Publisher: North Star Music / Alymar
Text / Source: poems by W. B. Yeats, Sara Teasdale, and Thomas Hardy -
A romantic one-movement piano trio, From the Headwaters moves from dark lyricism to a lighter, more animated middle section before returning to an expressive reprise. Dedicated to the memory of Gari Baxter, the work offers each player an active role within a clear formal design.
Instrumentation: violin, cello, piano
Duration: 9 minutes
Difficulty: Upper intermediate
Publisher: Alymar -
A nine-song cycle in three mini-volumes, From the Heart: Three American Women sets poetry by Sara Teasdale, Susan Laura Lugo, and Willa Cather. The cycle may be performed complete or by volume, offering varied expressive worlds for American art song and voice-guitar recitals.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 17–20 minutes
Difficulty: varies by song
Publisher: Columbia Music
Text / Source: poems by Sara Teasdale, Susan Laura Lugo, and Willa Cather -
A tender song of remembrance setting words by Susan Laura Lugo, Gone With the Wind reflects on grief, memory, and enduring love after the loss of a daughter. Its recurring refrain and intimate voice-and-guitar scoring give the work a quiet emotional continuity well suited to reflective recital programs.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A tender art song for voice and guitar, Grandmother, Think Not I Forget offers a warm and intimate reflection on memory, love, and loss. Freely adapted from Willa Cather, the song is well suited for vocal recitals, memorial programs, and poetry-centered concerts.
Instrumentation: voice, piano, guitar
Duration: 3.5 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Publisher: Les Productions D’OZ
Text / Source: words by Garth Baxter and Katherine Baxter, freely adapted from a poem by Willa Cather -
A tender love song setting a poem by Willa Cather, The Hawthorn Tree uses a modified strophic design to shape two verses with warmth and lyrical simplicity. Its intimate character and accessible writing make it well suited for student recitals and contemporary American art song programs.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
The second song from Songs of Life, The House of Dreams sets poetry by Sara Teasdale in a lyrical, reflective choral setting that balances imagination with a sense of grounded reality. Its flexible scoring makes it especially suitable for youth, school, community, and treble-voice ensembles.
Instrumentation: SATB and piano, or children's chorus or two treble voices and piano
Publisher: Alymar Publications -
An aria from Act II, Scene I of Lily, How Can These Hands reveals Lily’s humiliation and vulnerability as she is forced into work for which she is unprepared. The aria combines lyrical vocal writing with dramatic sensitivity and emotional honesty.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Duration: 4.5 minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
An aria from the final scene of Lily, How Strange to Think shows Lily preparing to announce her engagement to Gus while reflecting on class, circumstance, and compromise. The music contrasts outward elegance with inward unease, calling for poise, introspection, and dramatic nuance.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Duration: 5+ minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
A brief comic song from The Four Songs from Twelfth Night, I Am Gone Sir sets Shakespeare’s text with wit, lightness, and theatrical directness. Its concise form and accessible voice-and-guitar writing make it well suited for student recitals, Shakespeare programs, and character-driven performance settings.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 1 minute
Publisher: Les Productions D'Oz -
An art song for male voice and piano, If You Had Known sets a poem by Thomas Hardy as a direct and heartfelt tribute to an adored woman. Its lyrical vocal writing and sensitive piano support make it well suited for baritone recitals and student singers.
Instrumentation: male voice, piano
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: poem by Thomas Hardy
Publication: Modern Music for New Singers: 21st Century American Art Songs, Baritone, Volume 2 -
A jazz-inflected setting of Sara Teasdale, The Inn of Earth combines lyrical writing with darker harmonic colors to reflect on suffering, hardship, and the world’s indifference. Its expressive tension and social consciousness make it a distinctive choice for contemporary art song and thematically focused recital programs.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A humorous contemporary art song with lyrics by Nuala O'Connor, Insomnia captures the restless thoughts and familiar rituals of trying to fall asleep. Baxter’s lively rhythmic writing and theatrical pacing make it an engaging character piece for recital programs that benefit from wit, personality, and clear text delivery.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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An ultra-romantic excerpt from Act I, Scene II of Lily, I Have Said I Love You / I Dare Not Dream moves from Selden’s declaration of love into an intimate duet with Lily. The music offers lyrical vocal writing, expressive pacing, and a dramatic progression from private longing to shared confession.
Instrumentation: tenor, soprano, piano
Original scoring: voices and orchestra
Duration: 6 minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
A deeply romantic aria from the final scene of Lily, I Shall Forever Love You gives Selden a moment of anguish, devotion, and wounded recognition after learning of Lily’s engagement to Gus. The aria calls for passionate lyricism, emotional restraint, and dramatic nobility.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Arrangement: piano version available
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
An intimate tenor aria from Act I, Scene II of Lily, I Want to Imagine captures Selden’s private longing as he finds Lily resting in the garden. The music unfolds with warmth, restraint, and romantic expectation, offering a tender portrait of imagined love.
Instrumentation: tenor, piano
Original scoring: tenor and orchestra
Duration: 3 minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
An aria from Act I, Scene I of Lily, I Will Always Be Beholden reveals Lily’s charm, vulnerability, and dependence on others to maintain her social standing. Written in a traditional operatic style, the piece offers lyrical vocal writing within a clear dramatic and formal design.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Arrangement: arranged for voice and piano
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
Lily’s tragic final aria from Act II, Scene II of Lily, Is This the Cost? The Penalty I Pay? follows the news of Selden’s death. The aria brings the opera’s emotional arc to an intimate point of grief, self-reckoning, and dramatic finality.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Arrangement: piano version available
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
An elegiac art song setting a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Lament gives grief a direct and lyrical musical expression. Baxter’s tonal clarity and sensitive piano writing support the text with restraint and depth, making the song well suited for recitals centered on loss, remembrance, and reflection.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Publisher: North Star Music -
A reflective setting of Willa Cather, L’envoi explores solitude through lyrical repetition and carefully balanced musical framing. Repeated poetic lines return with shared musical material, while the introduction and codetta create a poised structure that makes the song well suited for intimate recital and contemporary American art song programs.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A melancholy setting of Sara Teasdale from Four Views of Love, Let It Be Forgotten reflects on memory, sorrow, and emotional release. Its lyrical vocal writing and recurring piano figure give the song a continuous, introspective character well suited for expressive recital programming.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music / Alymar -
A tender setting of Sara Teasdale from Four Views of Love, Let It Be You expresses deep affection through lyrical melody and gently chromatic harmony. Its intimate scale and direct emotional warmth make it well suited for recital programs centered on love, devotion, and contemporary American song.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 1.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music / Alymar -
The English-language version of Ovejita, Little Lamb sets Emily Mann’s translation of Federico García Lorca with lyrical, folk-inflected simplicity. Sung by Maria Josefa in The House of Bernarda Alba, the song offers an intimate and dramatically focused portrait of vulnerability and fragile humanity.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Publisher: Les Productions d’OZ -
An aria from near the end of Act I of Lily, Long Ago captures Lily at an emotional turning point as she longs for an earlier, more secure life. The music combines nostalgia, fear, and tenderness within an elegant lyrical vocal line.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Original scoring: voice and orchestra
Duration: 5 minutes
Text / Source: libretto by Lisa VanAuken -
A concise art song setting a poem by Sara Teasdale, The Long Hill reflects on the quiet realization that one cannot always meet one’s own expectations. Its ternary form, lyrical vocal line, and intimate piano writing make it well suited for contemporary art song recitals.
Instrumentation: female voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Publisher: Alymar
Text / Source: poem by Sara Teasdale -
A lighthearted a cappella setting of an anonymous Renaissance poem, Love Me Not For Comely Grace combines lyrical writing with clear, singable choral textures. Its affectionate character and graceful brevity make it well suited for chamber choirs, school and collegiate ensembles, and programs pairing early poetry with contemporary music.
Instrumentation: a cappella voices
Duration: 2 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music -
A witty art song setting a poem by Linda Pastan, Marks gives voice to a modern woman resisting the judgments and expectations placed upon her. Its quick dramatic energy, recurring melodic ideas, and sharply characterized text make it especially effective for singers with strong diction, comic timing, and theatrical presence.
Instrumentation: female voice, piano
Duration: approximately 1.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music, LLC -
A reflective art song setting words by Gabriel Rosenstock in translation by Michael S. Begnal, Music's Path traces the journey and enduring life of music with lyrical clarity and contemporary harmonic color. As the closing song of Songs From Irish Poets, it offers a thoughtful conclusion centered on artistic origins, discovery, and song across time.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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A short, deeply personal art song setting words by Sara Teasdale, Nights Without Sleep / A Composer’s Thoughts reflects the restlessness, vulnerability, and inward intensity of creative work. Intimate and concentrated, it is well suited for recitals exploring poetry, creativity, and the inner life of the artist.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: poem by Sara Teasdale -
A lighthearted, folk-like setting of Shakespeare from Twelfth Night, O Mistress Mine combines an upbeat vocal line with bright, accessible guitar writing. Its rhythmic lift and theatrical charm make it well suited for student recitals, Shakespeare programs, and voice-and-guitar performances.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Publisher: Les Productions D'Oz -
A lyrical theater song from La Casa De Bernarda Alba, Ovejita gives Maria Josefa one of the drama’s most exposed and haunting moments. Its direct melodic writing and sensitive harmonic color create an intimate portrait of vulnerability within Lorca’s severe dramatic world.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Publisher: Les Productions d’OZ -
The closing song from Songs of Life, A Prayer sets poetry by Sara Teasdale in a warm, affirming choral setting centered on gratitude, love of life, and lived experience. Its lyrical directness and flexible scoring make it especially well suited for school, youth, community, and church ensembles.
Instrumentation: SATB and piano, or children's chorus or two treble voices and piano
Publisher: Alymar Publications -
A powerful art song addressing mental health, inner struggle, and the pressure to appear “normal,” Pretend gives voice to private suffering behind an outward mask. Its lyrical vocal writing and intimate piano part make it well suited for contemporary art song programs and recitals centered on vulnerability and resilience.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music LLC
Text / Source: words by Marguerite -
A concise chamber vocal work inspired by Miesha Lowery’s poem Resting, this piece combines lyrical mezzo-soprano writing with the intimate colors of clarinet and vibraphone. Its jazz-inflected sound world and romantic expressive character make it well suited for contemporary song recitals.
Instrumentation: mezzo-soprano, clarinet, vibraphone
Duration: 4 minutes
Publisher: ALRY Publications
Text / Source: inspired by Resting by Miesha Lowery -
An atmospheric art song from Solas agus scáth, Samhain 1994 (November 1994) sets a Gaelic poem by Cathal ó Searcaigh in a reflective musical landscape shaped by transition, memory, and the threshold between light and darkness. It is especially suited to programs exploring Irish poetry and contemporary song.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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A reflective art song setting a poem by Linda Pastan, Self Portrait at 44 explores middle age, vulnerability, and the acceptance of human limitations with warmth and lyrical restraint. A recurring romantic piano melody gives the through-composed setting continuity and supports the poem’s poised, introspective character.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: approximately 2.5–3 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music, LLC -
A dramatic art song setting the well-known anonymous poem, The Silver Swan explores beauty, silence, mortality, and loss through highly chromatic writing and an intense vocal line. As the emotional centerpiece of Three Madrigals, it offers a striking contemporary response to a text rooted in Renaissance tradition.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music -
A song cycle for voice and piano setting poems by Linda Pastan, Skywriting moves through artistic reflection, seasonal renewal, theological imagination, and the balance of darkness and joy. Written for Jessica Satava, the cycle is well suited for vocal recitals and contemporary art song programs.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: poems by Linda Pastan
Songs:There Are Poems; Spring; The Imperfect Paradise; Why are your poems so dark? -
A three-song cycle setting Gaelic poetry by Cathal ó Searcaigh and Nuala O'Connor, Solas agus scáth explores contrasting worlds of light, shadow, memory, identity, and atmosphere. Baxter’s lyrical vocal writing and contemporary tonal language make the cycle especially well suited for recital programs centered on Irish poetry and language.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Publisher: North Star Music -
A concise six-song cycle for voice and piano, Songs From Irish Poets sets poems by Cathal ó Searcaigh, Nuala O’Connor, and Gabriel Rosenstock. Commissioned by mezzo-soprano Christine Thomas-O’Meally, the cycle offers lyrical vocal writing and contemporary harmonic color in a recital-friendly format.
Category: Vocal Music / Art Song
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 6 minutes
Text / Source: Poems by Cathal ó Searcaigh, Nuala O’Connor, and Gabriel Rosenstock
Songs: November 1994; Tattoo; Frida Kahlo’s Palette; Woman and Cosmetics; Insomnia; Music’s Path -
The closing song from Solas agus scáth, Spadalán Frida Kahlo sets a Gaelic poem by Nuala O'Connor in a vivid, atmospheric musical world shaped by image, identity, and expressive color. Its lyrical vocal writing and contemporary harmonic language make it especially suited for recitals connecting poetry, visual art, and Irish culture.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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A vivid narrative art song setting a poem by Willa Cather, Spanish Johnny follows a criminal figure from the old West through a through-composed design shaped by recurring vocal and guitar material. Spanish-inflected gestures and mandolin-like tremolo give the work distinctive color and dramatic character.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
An intimate art song from Solas agus scáth, Tatú sets a Gaelic poem by Nuala O'Connor with lyrical clarity and close attention to text and phrase. Its expressive vocal line and sensitive piano writing make it well suited for recitals exploring Irish poetry, Gaelic language, and contemporary art song.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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A deeply expressive setting of Willa Cather, The Tavern explores loneliness, emotional exposure, and the ache of human disconnection. Its four-stanza design uses recurring musical material to create formal clarity while allowing each verse to deepen the song’s sense of isolation and longing.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A lyrical a cappella setting of an anonymous Renaissance poem, There Is A Lady Sweet And Kind blends romantic innocence with a subtle touch of melancholy. Its clear formal design and gently varied repeated material make it well suited for chamber choirs, collegiate ensembles, and programs pairing early poetry with contemporary choral writing.
Instrumentation: a cappella voices
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music -
A restrained, folk-like setting of Sara Teasdale, There Will Come Soft Rains contrasts the enduring beauty of the natural world with the devastation of war. Its direct melodic language and quiet moral force make it well suited for recital programs exploring peace, remembrance, and social reflection.
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: Columbia Music -
A set of a cappella songs based on Renaissance poetry, Three Madrigals combines lyrical directness, clear musical architecture, and contemporary harmonic color. Commissioned by Western Maryland College, the set is well suited for chamber choirs, collegiate ensembles, and vocal groups exploring early English poetry.
Instrumentation: a cappella voices
Duration: 8 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music
Text / Source: anonymous Renaissance poems; The Silver Swan -
A three-song set for voice and piano, Three Poems by Linda Pastan offers lyrical settings of Self Portrait at 44, Marks, and Caroline. With contemporary harmonic color and clear attention to text, the songs move from reflection and humor to elegiac meditation.
Category: Vocal Music / Art Song
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 8 minutes
Text / Source: Poems by Linda Pastan
Publisher: North Star Music, LLC
Songs: Self Portrait at 44; Marks; Caroline -
A set of three art songs for voice and piano, Three Poems from Edna St. Vincent Millay offers clear, lyrical settings of Afternoon on a Hill, Lament, and Travel. The songs may be performed individually or as a complete set, making them useful for recitals, student programs, and contemporary American art song concerts.
Category: Vocal Music / Art Song
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Text / Source: Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Publisher: North Star Music
Songs: Afternoon on a Hill; Lament; Travel -
A lively setting of Thomas Hardy from Four Views of Love, A Thunderstorm in Town captures the charm and playful energy of young love. Its chromatic writing, vocal leaps, and free strophic form give the song wit, sparkle, and an appealing sense of dramatic motion.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 1.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music / Alymar -
A lyrical art song setting a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Travel explores longing, distance, and the persistent desire to journey beyond the familiar. Its reflective character and clear contemporary tonal language make it well suited for recital programs centered on memory, restlessness, and personal aspiration.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Publisher: North Star Music -
A pair of art songs written for soprano Annie Gill, Two Last Songs sets poems by Linda Pastan and Christina Rossetti in meditations on age, memory, grief, and mortality. The set calls for lyrical clarity, emotional restraint, and close attention to poetic nuance.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Text / Source: words by Linda Pastan and Christina Rossetti
Performer connection: written for soprano Annie Gill
Songs: 1932; When I Am Dead, My Dearest -
A reflective pair of art songs, Two Songs of Reflection sets texts by William Blake and Chaim Stern. Moving from lullaby and sacred imagery to grief, memory, and bereavement, the set offers flexible scoring for voice with either guitar or piano.
Instrumentation: voice and guitar, or voice and piano
Duration: 6 minutes
Publisher: Les Productions D’OZ for voice and guitar; Doberman-Yppan for voice and piano
Text / Source: poems by William Blake and Chaim Stern
Songs: A Cradle Song; What Death Can Touch -
A deeply reflective setting of words by Chaim Stern, What Death Can Touch explores grief, remembrance, and enduring affection with lyrical restraint. Its intimate vocal writing and flexible accompaniment make it especially well suited for memorial programs, sacred services, and recitals centered on loss and remembrance.
Instrumentation: voice and guitar, or voice and piano
Duration: 3 minutes
Publisher: Les Productions D'OZ (voice and guitar); Doberman-Yppan (voice and piano) -
A lyrical setting of W. B. Yeats from Four Views of Love, When You Are Old reflects on lost love, memory, and regret. Its through-composed design builds toward a soaring climax before returning to the opening thought with renewed emotional weight.
Instrumentation: male voice, piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Publisher: North Star Music / Alymar -
A heartbreaking song for soprano or tenor and piano, A Wife in Londonsets Thomas Hardy’s poem of wartime loss and cruelly delayed hope. Drawn from The Battle Cry / A Tragedy, the work calls for clear narrative pacing, emotional restraint, and sensitive ensemble between singer and pianist.
From:The Battle Cry / A Tragedy
Category: Vocal Music / Art Song
Instrumentation: high voice, piano
Voice Type: soprano or tenor
Duration: 3 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate to upper intermediate
Text / Source: Poem by Thomas Hardy -
A thoughtful art song with lyrics by Nuala O'Connor, Woman and Cosmetics explores self-image, vulnerability, and the desire to alter perceived imperfections. Baxter’s sensitive vocal writing and nuanced piano accompaniment create an intimate character study well suited for recitals focused on identity, beauty, and contemporary women’s perspectives.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
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A brief lyrical art song setting a poem by Sara Teasdale, Your Face Is Beautiful offers a direct and tender expression of love. Its concise ABA′ form, warm melodic writing, and lower-intermediate difficulty make it well suited for recitals, student programs, and American art song concerts.
Instrumentation: voice, piano
Duration: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Lower intermediate
Publisher: Alymar
Text / Source: poem by Sara Teasdale