Choose Something Like A Star - Randall Thompson
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2010
- A collection of amazing photos from Hubble. I thought it was a perfect companion to this deeply moving setting of a Robert Frost poem. I always come back to this piece when I need a little perspective. Performed by the New York Choral Society with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Auldon Clark, from the album "The Testament Of Freedom/Frostiana" on Koch International. I DO NOT OWN THESE PHOTOGRAPHS
CHOOSE SOMETHING LIKE A STAR
by Robert Frost
O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud-
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says 'I burn.'
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid. 
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My college choir had the honor of performing this in Dr. Thompson's presence in 1983. I was so choked up that I could barely get through it. At the conclusion, Dr. Thompson told a story about the premier in 1959 where Frost himself stood up and growled, "Play it again!" Then he turned to us with a big smile and said, "To quote Robert Frost... 'play it again!'" Afterwards, I came to his seat to get his autograph - and HE thanked ME profusely for asking for it. What a humble, gentle, good man he was. Now, almost thirty five years later, hearing this performance and typing this comment, I'm welling up with tears all over again. Thank you, Dr. Thompson.
I am too, a year after your comment. Touching remembrance. thank you
I'm currently learning this and I feel the same way.
same.
My high school music teacher, who studied under Dr. Thompson, told us that same story about Robert Frost when we performed this piece. Still gives me shivers to listen to it.
I believe Frostiana was debuted by the Air Force choir and Frost said the "Star" was exactly how he imagined it!! I was privileged to sing it with Dr. Thompson also, but in 1969. It's why I went on to study music in college. I can't listen to it just one time. Just gotta get "all the tears" out.
My choir got to perform Frostiana before the pandemic hit. It was my favorite concert, the absolute concinnity of poetry and sound just filled my soul in a way none of our other music did. To be surrounded by such resonant and harmonious sound on that stage, it's a night I'll never forget.
My choir director, unfortunately, had to retire due to the pandemic. She was amazing at what she did and had an absolute passion for music, though she had a tendency to work herself to the bone. I'll be forever grateful to her for teaching me and introducing me to such amazing music.
What I notice in the comments is how many people are moved to tears at even a memory of singing this peace in the past. Reading each of these memorances moves me to tears too in that so many people share my having been touched when our HS choir sang it in, I believe, 1972. I too sing it as I recall the other parts along side of mine as a tenor. Thompson is among my very favorite choral composers. I too am grateful for him.
We sang this my senior year, it's the only song I ever remember absolutely adoring the alto part. I was proud to sing the the alto part in this song.
Omg same!!
WOAH! Phenomenal performance! That just took me back 56 years to when we sang this in the Rochester Inter-High Choir. Beautiful memory... lots of tears.
I always listen to this song when I need a little bit of strength. We were actually going to sing this in choir before the coronavirus hit. Now I keep singing it because I found out my hero wasn't who I thought he was. It's been super difficult for me but the star always reminds me to turn to my own inner strength.
I'm struggling to fully comprehend how a person can write a song this beautiful.
Wow. I just found this, and it brings back such memories. Summer choir camp at Southeast Missouri State College in the late 1960’s. This was the “big number” of what we worked up from Sunday evening until our performance on the following Friday evening. It took effort from all of our full mixed choir of high school students from all over the Midwest to get through it without being overcome with emotion. The most moving secular vocal piece I have ever been part of singing. A perfect blend of poetic genius and musical composition. I will never forget it.
We sang this in All State Choir when I was in High School... it has remained in my mind since then with every note in every voice part. I love this music and the words became so real over the years!!!
I sang this song during my undergrad years. It is one that has stayed with me even almost 15 years later. Absolutely beautiful, delicate, and inspirational through how it sounds and what it says.
My high school chorus sang this: I was moved by it then and still am moved by it to this day.
Thompson and Frost are an amazing marriage of sound and poetry. I sang this in high school and could never forget it my entire life. Thanks for posting.
Same here. Carlmont '65.
And I. NMH '77.
Conducting class, Manhattan School of Music, 1966.
same
I sang this in high school, as well. It was one of the most fulfilling moments in my life to perform this piece of art.
I too sang this in Acapella choir in high school about 1968. Everytime we sang it we felt such pride at the end . A standing ovation everytime! How lucky we all have been to have choir directors who introduced us to Frost's words and Thompson's exquisite melody. It was a difficult piece but so worth it. I have not forgotten it either, as well as the inscription on the Statue of Liberty and the Gettysburg Address that we sang. I am happy to hear Oh Star is still being sung. It will always move me to tears.
Sang this through high school and college (all of Randall Thompson) and love revisiting these pieces. I'm in my 70's now and love that I found them again!
It gives me goosebumps every time…
I remember this from high school when I was in senior chorus. Actually we sang this piece at a chorus competition at the University of Florida in the 60s. It was wonderful and beautiful. Our chorus received "straight superiors" for this work.
Sang this in high school over 40 years ago. Today it feels like an old friend which is taking me on a journey to when we were young. It is where I meet old friends. Dave, Sam, Sue (what an alto), Tommy (a second soprano with a voice as smooth as silk) Together and with many others we shared the magic of wonderful music. At the time it seemed it would last forever and then it melted away forever only to reside in our hearts to be resurrected when we hear some opening measure, and we r back
This is so lovely. We did this in highschool.....so long ago...1970. I could still sing every word. Wow. Something beautiful to see, beautiful words to read along and contemplate, in the midst of anxious times......
I did this my freshman year of high school. I had quite the ambitious conductor ;) And not gonna lie, I HATED this song at first but somehow over the rest of those high school years I've grown to ADORE this piece so much and that had led me to love Randall Thompsons' music. He is one my favorite choral composers.
honestly no one liked singing frostiana when I was in high school, but I'm so glad we sang it and it is such a beautiful and droll piece
Actually our chorus sang it in high school and we were passionate about it. If there isn't any intensity in the voices or a lack of energy it doesn't come across the same way
I would like to think that there were a few souls in your group to whom the poem spoke volumes, as it does to me every time I listen to it. Now who would those quiet, introspective students have been... were you secretly one of them?
ne of my fondest High School choir memories of 1966 is singing this song. To this day Frost's "Chose Something Like a Star" is my favorite, this song setting deeply moving.
Chiming in with my own memories of this song. I sang it first in children’s chorus (alto) and then again in college choir (soprano). I found this upload just now and, all these years later, the tears and the gratitude are flowing. 💚
4:33 that soprano high note will always get to me...
As a soprano who sang this song in choir, this comment made me happy :')
My high school Is singing this song and it is so beautiful. these are one of the songs that make you appreciate real music.
But it takes a lot of breath control to make it perfect.
Thank-You so much dgemini. I too sang this in High School Choir WAY back in '69 or 70! It effected me profoundly at that time and I've had it in my head so often since. Never even knew what "Keats' Eremite" meant until recently came across another reference to it and finally looked it up. Enriches the poem & music even more. Now I'm a huge fan of the whole Frostiana collection. Again, thank-you. Just beautiful.
I could have written this exact comment. Only coming across Keat's eremite now in The Eve of St. Agnes. Worth the wait.
Like many others here I also sang this in high school in the late 60's. I loved it the very first time we sang it. We performed it at our Spring concert. My parents didn't understand what it was and never did. Don't tell anyone, but I took the sheet music home and I still have it to this day...
I sang this in concert choir in 1971, still
Gives me chills !!
I too learned this in 9th grade and it served as my introduction to Frost's poetry. Now that I am an old,wizened local politician the last lines are particularly meaningful to me.
I treasure that last phrase, too. Try to put it into practice.
What a wonderful piece, and the kind of song every Alto dreams of performing!
+Erica Renee Garcia My college choirs (and I) just performed this yesterday. It was awesome! Delight for a soprano too, but I agree that the alto lines were great^.^
Singing it now with the Whatcom Chorale. This is such a lovely combination.
Came here to listen to this because I was JUST telling my husband it was like the only piece from high school where I felt like we got the good part!
I cry every time I hear this powerful and moving piece. Mr. Donald O. Thompson rest in peace. You were the greatest music a student could be blessed with.....I miss you and I will always remember our time with you. Fruitcake! R.C.D III C.H.S c/o 2000 Go Bayhawks
Memories of A Capella choir, Carlmont High School, Belmont, California, 1965. Rest in peace, Mr. Einarsson.
I am singing this in Choir now. :) I love this song. It always makes me cry for some reason.
This song got me through the isolation of the pandemic.
The first time I sang this piece was when I was a high school freshman back in 1980. This will be my 3rd time singing this piece (once in high school and twice in a choral group).
Sang this piece in high school choir.
So beautiful and celestial as it is it "still" speaks to me (or us) that we long to understand the peace and beauty of the heavens and plea of it that we long to be as peaceful and stayed as all the heavens we witness and marvel of.
For those of you who sung this under the direction of Roger Ames, chorus teacher Somers High School 1968-72, I'm sad to say he passed away on Jan. 6, 2022. Rest In Peace Rog.
We sang this in my high school choir in the early 70’s in KY. Thank you for such beautiful imagery and music.
Ladd Bausch our wonderful choral teacher directed us in this memorable piece in 1972. Now he rests amongst these stars.
This is a magical piece for a young choir. I’m not sure the poem is easily understandable as a whole, except the last few lines, which are brilliant, peaceful and remind us to not get too caught up in earthly issues.
We may crave answers to big questions, but it is grounding and comforting to remember that regardless of what goes on, the stars still burn.
I sang this song with the University of Minnesota Duluth College choir. One of my favorite pieces of all time.
I too sang this in high school choir back about 1972. One of the most beautiful works we ever sang.
Magnificent!
Outstanding.
I also sang in high school and college. As an adult viewing this video, how can anyone look at these amazing photos through the Hubble telescope and listen to this beautiful composition and say "there is no God". Lord I humble myself before you and thank you for the gift of music. Bless the hearers.
My high school chorus sang this at graduation for the class of 1976. I was a sophomore. Tried to hold the tears back, but the beautiful melody took me away to my own star. I'll never forget performance and that day!
I'm learning to understand and appreciate this kind of music at such a young age because of this amazing song. thank you Randall Thompson.
We sang this beautiful choral selection with the West Virginia Wesleyan College tour choir.
All music was memorized so we carry it with us throughout our lives today.
We sang this in my Dad’s High School Choir in Royal Oak, Michigan...Such a beautiful piece of music.
We also did “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor” which also chokes me up when I hear that.
I also sang this in high school, graduated in 1966 and I've never forgotten it--one of the most beautiful and haunting pieces ever. The pictures along with this make this a profound experience
I graduated in '74. I feel the same way. This made me cry, it's so well done!
I have dear memories of this lovely song, Sang it in Girls Glee Club in High School.
Thanks Ms. Feig! Still remember almost 40 years later.
Ok I legit was singing the “Say something” section in my head a couple weeks ago and couldn’t remember what that was for the life of me…and then this shows up 😭
I sang this my freshman year of high school and maaaannnnnn the memories came flooding ❤️
I still would love to sing the entire Frostiana but even just having sung this was great too :)
I love how most comments here are similar…it’s evoking memories and I love that!
This collection of images is the perfect companion for Thompson's setting of this beautiful poem Few things bring me to tears. This did.
Thank you for posting this video, it brings back a particularly wonderful memory. Our high school chorus sang this my senior year in the late '70's. Our beloved director relocated just before graduation but under the direction of one of my fellow graduates we sang it one last time at commencement. Not a dry eye in the house.
Sang this in Community College choir many years ago. Still gives me chills and tears.
This one gets more beautiful with each listening! Thanks for sharing.
What an amazing and beautiful composition. I keep coming back to this or sheer pleasure, thanks for posting.
at first I didn't like singing this song in my chorus class and now I have learned to appreciate and love the piece
We are singing this piece at my last high school choir concert in one week and I already know I am going to cry.
Sang this way back in high school choir, late ‘60’s early 70’s. Beautiful song, wonderful memories.
we were all talking at our christmas concert about sustaining that note forever. Starrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. ouch. This is a great piece though, and we enjoyed the outcome.
Loved this since high school. 💞
Same
Holy crap this made me emotional.
Thanks for posting this with these beautiful photographs. I fell in love with this choral arrangement when I was in Jr. High and it is still one of my favorite pieces of music almost 40 years later. Thanks for this.
Beautiful. Especially so.
Now- with Webb telescope, imagine the changing of photos that could accompany this song. I’d love to see an orchestra/ choir perform this with wide screen.
How small man is in the universe
I got to sing this my sophomore year in High School at a national HS chours competion. It is beautiful but very difficult to sing correctly. We had such a good time with this song but we only placed 3rd that year out of about 86 choruses. Not bad the next 2 years we won grand champions. I had a great HS experience.
One of my favorite compositions! Like the Duruflé Requiem, my first time hearing the orchestral part was in rehearsal, trying to sing through my tears from the sheer beauty overwhelming me.
I find this tempo just a teeny bit too fast, but that's a slight complaint.
Hmmm. Frostiana is certainly a wonderful American classic, and this makes me teary. I sing in the NYCS, but I missed this recording session due to a temporarily horrible commute, where I couldn't get into NYC after work in Joisey. Like many of the commenters here, I sang the whole cycle (1) in Pennsylvania regional chorus in high school, (2) in college, where I was a music major, (3) in NYCS in a later season, and (4) in the NYCS Chamber Singers about 5 years ago. Keeping that octave leap for sopranos in tune is a killer...
This was just posted to the NYCS Members and Alumni page -- "for the beauty of the earth..." and for old times' sake, perhaps.
Burke Baker Planetarium esque! Come here, go anywhere!
J’écouterai cette chanson jusqu’à mon dernier souffle je crois.
I love singing this piece
following the eclipse this past week, and all the challenges that face our world, this brings it all together for me, especially the last four lines. So appropriate, especially the last four lines. Thank you for the Hubble images and for the music.
If you are not totally, absolutely and divinely in loves with the piece, heaven help you.
Absolutely stunning melody!
Vamos apresentar esta maravilha em setembro prox ..2023 com o coro do colégio Visconde de Porto seguro em São Paulo e Valinhos .
This is indeed a pleasure both to sing and to hear. Thank you for sharing this. :)
The Choir in which I sing is performing this piece with a local orchestra. I loved the cosmic awareness that the lyrics bring. But your added images were so amazing. It would awesome to project these images behind the choir as it was being performed..
My District Choir will be performing this in November. I can't wait to finally sing it!
Thank you for the beautiful images.
My junior night chorus is doing this and it is going to be a show to see! 😆
I honestly hated the whole Frostiana arrangement (we performed it a few years ago and the whole choir hated it), but this song still stands out as the best out of the bunch.
Revisit Frostiana many years from now, and you may change your mind. 47 years after singing it or hearing it, my opinion has definitely changed for the better.
Always makes me cry and it’s hard to sing whilst crying.
Yeah, it is a great piece of music, and very fitting setting of such a profound poem. I felt that mixed with these incredible images, its meaning would truly come across and be quite overwhelming, and judging from the response it's received, I was right. :)
Beautiful !!!
Wow! We did this in HS. I’d forgotten all about it.
Thank you Barry Torres- a Laurentian Singer
we sang this at Nationals in Springfield IL in the 80s we cut an album yes I am that old. I was a first soprano this was a b --tch to sing but so lovely
Adding my choir, in High School, 1968, singing this! I recall the Music Director working with us in practice with the piano at the beginning but we too, sang it Acapella, if memory serves! What was it with high school music directors doing this then? I've got to study up-lol-really though- was this a favorite of really good choirs, their directors, something that happened that year? I am so curious. Yet, I woke up with this on my mind today! I had the sheet music for so many years-hope it shows up one day! Oh, I always sang First Soprano. How nice to have read all the reminders and experiences of others surrounding this! Thank you one and all! TS. :)
amazing with the strings. we just had piano accompaniment
SOUTH MIAMI SR.HIGH SCHOOL 1975 ALL THE WAY TO STATE, ALGIN HURST MUSIC DIRECTOR
I always really enjoyed this composition due to the suject matter. The hardest part with this piece is getting the intonation just right, and differentiating between pronouncing the 'd's and 't's.
High school concert choir 1969
what note was that on "and" of and be staid..... can't search for it folks.... argh.
I believe it's in D major, so it would be a D. I have the sheet music buried in a box somewhere...
😭😭😭😭😭😭
My vocal teacher is teaching us this. His name is Dr. Peter Kronar...he is a very revered singer and voice coach.
4:01
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