There is something quintessentially Canadian about this song. The Lawren Harris reference is obvious, but also the comfort in desolation, isolation and cold barrens. And also the waiting, waiting, waiting – from Anne of Green Gables to the 501 Queen Streetcar, we are well described by Ron Sexsmith in his same-titled song, “all our lives, we wait on trains”. Great poems often make for lousy texts, but this is a perfect example of the synergy of music and words in art song. I can’t help but read the poem with the deft inflections and shaping that Morlock gives with her skillful setting, and it is so much more vivid and powerful in this fashion. Morlock understood that this is a poem where the words need to be heard and understood to make sense, keeping out of the way unobtrusively before swooping in for lush contours and impassioned melody that create compelling and persistent images. When young singers at the U ask me to recommend a song for their undergrad recitals, this is always one of the first ones to spring to mind. I never get tired of hearing it. Notes to the Performer:
Title: Train Composer: Jocelyn Morlock Country: Canada Text: Alan Ashton Duration: 7 min Date of Composition: 1999 Publisher: Canadian Music Centre How to get the score: pdf for sale at Canadian Music Centre or bound copy Commission: Dedication: Premiere: Performance History: (fill in as many as possible. Incompletes ok. Include yourself!) Discography:
<!– composer/program notes here –>
<!– Composer Info here –>
<<< Click to view, ESC to exit >>> <! Score samples here – remember to resize the images if necessary. Hover over them and then Click on the edit button (pencil) to change their size. Please don’t include scores in their entirety without composer permission. If you want to use a gallery, choose “large” as thumbnail. If no gallery, remove click line ->
