Corigliano, One Sweet Morning, pt 4

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra: One Sweet Morning
The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, John Corigliano's work "One Sweet Morning," a Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Commission, co-commissioned with New York Philharmonic and an Asian Premiere. Mezzo-Soprano: Sasha Cooke, Conductor: Shui Lan.
Music (2006) by John Corigliano
Text by E.Y. (Yip) Harburg
Commissioned by the Young People's Chorus of New York City™
Premiered April 29, 2006 at the Society for Ethical Culture in New York City
"This is my first work for a youth chorus. In searching for a text, I came across E.Y. (Yip) Harburg's 'Rhymes
for the Irreverent' -- two small volumes of poems by the lyricist of the film The Wizard of Oz, the musical
Brigadoon, and many other timeless works. Harburg was a very political poet. He was most often very funny, but
occasionally wrote poems of transcendental beauty like 'One Sweet Morning.'
"This anti-war poem looks forward to 'one sweet morning' when, 'out of the flags and the bones buried under
the clover,' 'spring will bloom'...'peace will come.' It is an exalted prayer for the future and, when sung by
young people who are the future, has special meaning." (John Corigliano)
Out of the fallen leaves the autumn world over,
Out of the shattered rose that will smile no more,
Out of the embers of blossoms and shades of clover
Spring will bloom -- one sweet morning.
Out of the fallen lads the summer world over,
Out of their flags plowed under a distant shore,
Out of the dreams in their bones buried under the clover
Peace will come -- one sweet morning.
"One sweet morning
The rose will rise
To wake the heart
And make it wise!"
This is the cry of life the winter world over,
"Sing me no sad amen, but a bright encore!"
For out of the flags and the bones
buried under the clover,
Spring will bloom
Peace will come
One sweet morning --
One sweet morning.

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The Conductor and Symphony are very good. It would be interesting to hear this singer, although not possessed of the luscious Stignani Mezzo, in a traditional Lyric Mezzo Role.