THE SEA OF SUNSET
for soprano / mezzo-soprano and ensemble
A Reflective Contemporary Setting of Emily Dickinson
The Sea of Sunset (1999) by Lior Navok is an 8-minute composition for soprano or mezzo-soprano and ensemble, setting Emily Dickinson's evocative poetry to music. Featuring an intricate blend of trombone, double bass, and piano alongside the vocal line, the work masterfully brings Dickinson's timeless words to life through a spacious and vivid harmonic landscape. It offers performers a stunning, color-rich addition to the contemporary repertoire for soprano and ensemble.
Listen to the Recording and Find More Information Here
About the Music
The Sea of Sunset is an 8‑minute setting of an Emily Dickinson poem for soprano or mezzo‑soprano with trombone, piano, and double bass. Guided by Dickinson’s vivid, painterly language, the music unfolds slowly and spaciously, allowing the poem’s images of sea, light, and quiet motion to shape the sound world. The ensemble adds murmurs of wind and water, creating a reflective, atmospheric landscape that mirrors the poem’s sense of stillness and inward travel. It is highly suitable for professional singers and advanced conservatory‑level performers, making it ideal for Dickinson‑themed recitals, contemporary chamber‑vocal programs, or concerts exploring nature, atmosphere, and poetic imagery. The style features slow‑moving, image‑driven writing with a lyrical vocal line and ensemble colors that evoke sea and wind.
Program Notes
The poems of Emily Dickinson are a very unique work of art. Most of her poems are filled with detailed descriptions, transforming the poems into a medium of pictures carefully painted and calculated. Yet, it is quite amazing that these poems came from the hand of a woman who lived a secluded life in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. A clue may be found in one of Dickinson’s sayings: “To shut our eyes is to travel.”Navok notes that Dickinson's poems, with their vast, detailed imagery, require unhurried development rather than traditional song structures. In The Sea of Sunset, the composer allowed the poem's languid, natural imagery to guide the visual soundscape, incorporating instrumental murmurs of wind and sea to faithfully capture the poem's atmosphere.
Specifications
- Duration: 8 minutes
- Year Composed: 1999
- Instrumentation: Soprano / Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor Trombone, Piano, and Double Bass
- Poems By: Emily Dickinson
- Language: English
Product Information
- All Performers read from Score
- Hard Copy (Performance Score)
- Condition: New
- PDF DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE
THE SEA OF SUNSET Emily Dickinson (set of 4 performance scores) [Hard Copy]
INFO
Item: Four Performance Scores Format: Hard Copy Edition: 2nd Edition Copyright: Lior Navok Publisher: Lior Navok Music Pages: 18 Binding: Plastic Spiral Ink: Black & White Paper Size: Folio (Europe) / Legal (USA) Remarks: All performers read from the score PROGRAM NOTES
Program Notes:
The poems of Emily Dickinson are a very unique work of art. Most of her poems are filled with detailed descriptions, transforming the poems into a medium of pictures carefully painted and calculated. Yet, it is quite amazing that these poems came from the hand of a woman who lived a secluded life in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. A clue may be found in one of Dickinson’s sayings: “To shut our eyes is to travel.”
As I approached Dickinson’s poems (which number close to 2000), I found that most of them, even the short ones, are built around a vast space. Each poem requires its development time and cannot be rushed or squeezed into a regular song form. In The Sea of Sunset, I have let the words, the descriptions of nature, and the languid mood of the poem guide me into the realm of visual imagery. By adding the murmur of the sea and the whisper of the wind, I attempted to capture as faithfully as possible the picture I perceived through the poem.
DIGITAL SCORE AVAILABLE
Digital score available via this link:
SCORE - for US format:
https://www.liornavok.com/product-page/Emily-Dickinson-Music
SCORE - for EU format:
https://www.liornavok.com/product-page/the-sea-of-sunset-pdf-downloadNEED MORE INFO?
For additional information about this musical work, please submit your request via the this link.
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