Kevin Uppercue

In this short Life

Text painting abounds in this setting of a Dickinson poem concerning the brief time gifted to our human condition. To match the topic and brevity of the poem, the work itself isn't long, lasting only one-and-a-half minutes. The accompaniment delicately yet persistently ticks away, slightly ahead of a second to emphasize the perception of time quickly passing by. The word 'short' is always given an eighth duration followed by a rest in the chorus so that a quasi-staccato articulation is perceived with each occurrence. With its sensitive text setting, interesting harmonic palette, and atypical accompaniment, this work makes for unique concert programming. This work may be performedin conjunction with Look back on Time with kindly Eyes (1. 3563) to create a multi-movement setting titled Two Dickinson Poems on Time. Duration: 1:30