Songs of Sleep
Songs of Sleep for Soprano and Piano | 4 Movements | Duration: 5'23" A poignant and imaginative song cycle exploring the many shades of slumber, Songs of Sleep invites performers and audiences alike into a dreamscape where lullabies blend with deeper meditations on mortality. This contemporary classical work for soprano and piano features four short movements, each set to evocative texts in the public domain. The cycle opens with an a cappella setting of John McCrae's "Slumber Song I", immediately establishing an intimate, introspective tone. A second McCrae text follows in "Slumber Song II," supported by rich, advanced harmonies that subtly unsettle and soothe in equal measure. Eugene Field's "An Invitation to Sleep" brings a touch of whimsical serenity, while Christian Carstairs' "A Dream" closes the cycle with layered rhythms and harmonies that blur the line between lullaby and elegy. Ideal for collegiate and professional-level sopranos, this set is well-suited for recital programmingparticularly themed concerts focusing on night, dreams, or poetic reflections on childhood and mortality.