It’saLongWay

SATBChoir

Duration:2’15”

NELLSHAWCOHEN

Cover:Detailfrom“Seascape”(1901),watercolor,WilliamTrostRichards(1833–1905).Publicdomain.

PublishedbyFarawayNearby(ASCAP).Textinthepublicdomain.MusicCopyright©2020NellShawCohen.AllRightsReserved.www.nellshawcohen.com

It’saLongWay

2020

SATBChoir

Duration:2’15”

CommissionedbySkylarkVocalEnsembleMatthewGuard,ArtisticDirector

NELLSHAWCOHEN

PerformanceNotes

Tenutimarkingsindicateamedium-weightaccentwith,whereappropriate,abelltoneattack.

Accentmarkingsduringasoftdynamicmaybeinterpretedasonestepupfromthedynamicinwhichtheyoccur(ex:soprano,m.11,accentsduringmpbecomemf).

ProgramNote

WilliamStanleyBraithwaitewasaself-taught,AfricanAmericanwriter,editor,andcritic,celebratedforhiscontributionstothedevelopmentof20thcenturyAmericanpoetry.Hispoem"It'saLongWay,"althoughpublishedin1904,speakspowerfullytomeinthemidstoftheCOVID-19pandemic.Manyofushavehadtoputdreamsonholdforanunknownlengthoftime—delayingpivotalstepsinourpersonallives,careers,oreducation,awaitingthedaywemaybereunitedwithlovedones.Inthismomentofwidespreaduncertaintyandpersonalyearning,we'realsoexperiencingapowerfulcollectiveyearningforajustsocietytoemergefromthecrucibleofcurrentevents.BraithwaitegivesvoicetoasentimentI'vebeenholdingontothesepastmonths,inlightofalloftheabove:"It’sworkwemust,andlovewemust,/Anddothebestwemay,/Andtakethehopeofdreamsintrust/Tokeepusdaybyday."I’vesoughttohonorBraithwaite’sbittersweetwordsofhopeanddeterminationwithachoralsettingforallofusstrivingtosafelyarriveatourjourneys'shore.

—NellShawCohen

Pleasevisitnellshawcohen.comfor:♦Composerbiographyandheadshot,♦Recordings,♦Performancehistory,♦...andmoreinformationaboutthiswork.

Contactthecomposeratnell@nellshawcohen.com

Text

It’saLongWay

It’salongwaythesea-windsblowOverthesea-plainsblue,—ButlongerfarhasmyhearttogoBeforeitsdreamscometrue.

It’sworkwemust,andlovewemust,Anddothebestwemay,AndtakethehopeofdreamsintrustTokeepusdaybyday.

It’salongwaythesea-windsblow—Butsomewhereliesashore—

usdownthetideofTimeshall owMydreamsforevermore.

From"LyricsofLifeandLove"(1904)byWilliamStaneyBraithwaite(1878-1962).

- - -

- - -

- - -

- - -

It’s

Tenderly ( =c.70)

a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea

plains blue,—

It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea

plains blue,—

It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea

plains blue,—

It’s a long way the sea winds blow O ver the sea

plains blue,—

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

- - -

- -

- -

- -

But

long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams

come true.

But

long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams

come true.

But

long er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams

come true.

But long

er far has my heart to go Be fore its dreams

come true.

S.

A.

T.

B.

5

It’saLongWay

PublishedbyFarawayNearby(ASCAP).Textinthepublicdomain.MusicCopyright©2020NellShawCohen.AllRightsReserved.www.nellshawcohen.com

NellShawCohen(2020)TextbyWilliamStanleyBraithwaite(1878-1962)

CommissionedbySkylarkVocalEnsemble

It’s work

we must— And

Work—

And love we must— do the best we may, And

Work—

love— And do the best we may,—

Work—

love— do the best we may,—

S.

A.

T.

B.

A10

take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us day by day. It’s work we must, And

take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us day by day. and love we must,—

hope— trust— It’s work— must, and love— must, And

hope— trust— To keep us day by day— we must, love we must,—

S.

A.

T.

B.

B15

2 It’saLongWay

do the best we may,— And take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us

best we may, And take the hope of dreams in trust To keep us

do the best we may, And take the hope of dreams in trust To

do the best we may,— And take the hope of dreams in trust To

S.

A.

T.

B.

21

-

-

-

-

day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But

day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But

keep us day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But

keep us day by day. It’s a long way the sea winds blow But

S.

A.

T.

B.

C26

3It’saLongWay

-

-

-

-

some where lies a shore— Thus down the tide of Time shall ow My

some where lies a shore— Down the tide of Time shall ow My

some where lies a shore— Thus down the tide of Time shall ow My

some where— a shore— Down the tide of Time shall ow My

S.

A.

T.

B.

32

- - - - - -

- - - - - -

- - - - - -

- - - - - -

dreams for ev er more, My

rit.pocoapoco

dreams for ev er more.

rit.pocoapoco

dreams for ev er more, dreams for ev er more.

dreams for ev er more, My dreams for ev er more.

dreams for ev er more,— dreams for ev er more.

S.

A.

T.

B.

37

4 It’saLongWay