DAVID EDGAR WALTHER IMPRESSIONIST: PASSIONATE DARK; DEEP NIGHT DREAMS
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    • Emily Dickinson
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My Settings of Poems by Emily Dickinson
Unless there is an E. D. addict I've not heard of yet, I've set more
​of Emily Dickinson's poems than anyone else.
​(Doesn't include withheld pieces,
like a complete version of Off-nights (VIII/II/7)
with settings of her poems)
Picture
                                                                                      Emily Dickinson, poet
Volume IV. Book IV: Cantata Ballets (See listings in Volume VII. Opera): 
1A.  Ample Make This Bed: Set in the 1980s, this is the story of two gay men, one of whom contracts A. I. D. S..  
1B.  
Covid-19: Completed in April of 2020 during the covid-19 pandemic, and set in 2020, "Covid-19" is the story of two lovers, who are again referred to simply as A and B. 
1a. Ample/Covid-19a: 1 hour and 50 minutes for a poetry reader (A), soloist (B); trio; chorus; small to medium sized orchestra: 2 2+ 2+ 2+   1/1/1/1 percussion, timpani; harp; strings & at least 3 dancers.
1b. Ample/Covid-19b:  piano vocal version of 19a.
1c. Ample/Covid-19c:  95 minutes (55 shorter movements); reader (A); soloist (B); trio and/or small chorus; English horn, clarinet doubling bass clarinet, bassoon doubling contrabassoon; D. B. string quartet, piano, & at least 3 dancers.

1d. Ample/Covid-19d.  piano vocal version of 19c; This is the original version. 
Volume V. Book I.  Solo Voice with Orchestra:
2.   Remembrance of Love's Death: 
21 minute cycle of 12 songs; Emily Dickinson; for low voice:

2a. Remembrance of Love's Death: with orchestra:  2/2/2   2/2/1/1   harp, percussion & strings. See the same selections in Volume III, Book ViII.
2b. Remembrance of Love's Death: with harp and double bass string quartet or string orchestra;
2c. Remembrance of Love's Death: with piano. 9 of the songs were performed by the composer with pianist, Eileen Feldman at 1st and 2nd Unitarian Society, Boston. Please
​click on Eileen Feldman to the right to hear the premiere
​and read the poems:
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          Eileen Feldman, pianist
Volume V. Book III. Solo Voice with Instruments Book IIIa.  High Voice with Instruments: 
​
3.   Six Valentine's Day Cards:  6 minute cycle for soprano, flute, harp and piano;
Emily Dickinson; performed, in an earlier, withheld version by Eric Mazonson, pianist, in Marblehead, MA. 
with soprano, Mary Saunders; Kristin Webb, flute; and Russell Southcott, guitar: The Putnam Court Musicians (PCM).

​5.   Some Things That Fly:  7 songs for soprano, flute & guitar to poems by Emily Dickinson; 10 minutes & 35 seconds; 5 songs performed several times by The Putnam Court Musicians: Mary Saunders (picturd below), soprano; Kristin Webb, flute and Russell Southcott, guitar To hear 3 songs please click on the red button:
DavidEdgarWalther · Some Things That Fly (Dickinson): Saunders/Webb/Southcott
​Book IIIb. Low Voice with Instruments:
2.   Five Thoughts:  11 minutes & 45 seconds.
2a. Five Thoughts:  for low voice with double bass string quartet. 
2b. Five Thoughts:  for low voice with piano.
1.    A Thought:  2 minutes; to a poem by Emily Dickinson. alternate version with guitar.
Book IVa. High Voice with Piano:
3. Three Songs: 6 minutes; #1 is a setting of a poem by Emily Dickinson (uc).

​5.  The Steeple's Remembrance: 14 & a half minute set of 10 songs, each depicting
​the ghost of a woman who has died; Dickinson (uc). Unperformed.

Volume V. Book IVb. Low Voice with Piano: 

​2.  Three Portraits: 6 minutes; #3 "Secret Love" is a setting of a poem Emily Dickinson. Performed several times with by the composer with pianist, Merton Brown (right). To hear "Three Portraits" and  read the poems click on Mr. Brown to the right:

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                      Merton Brown, pianist
3.  Three Songs: 6 minutes; #1 is a settign of a Dickinson poem (uc).

​
5. Great Streets of Silence: 12 minutes & 20 seconds: 7 song set to poems by Emily Dickinson (uc). Revised in October & November, 2023. 
5a. Great Streets of Silence: for medium low voice with piano. Original keys for #2-5
5b. Great Streets of Silence: for low voice with piano: first and last songs: original key.
5c. Three Short Songs: 1 minute & 35 seconds; for medium voice, taken from 5a/b: a 50 second revised version of "Silence" #6, & 2 shorts songs (40 & 15 seconds respectively).
Volume VI. Book I.  Unaccompanied Chorus
8.   Sic Transit gloria mundi:  3 part women's chorus or solo trio; 15 and a half minutes in English with some Latin; Emily Dickinson (uc). Poem used with permission. A Valentine (1882) to Mr. William Howland. Music, written by August 31, 2021: a Valentine to Mr. Drew Hubbard. Unperformed.   

Volume VI. Book III. Chorus with String Orchestra: 
2. That I Did Always Love:  SATB chorus with soprano and bass-baritone soloists, flute doubling alto flute (all versions), 5 movements; 19 minutes; Movements I, III & V use poems by Emily Dickinson. ​
2a. That I did Always Love:  That I did Always Love: with percussion (triangle, gong and cymbals), timpani, harp, and strings.
2b. That I did Always Love:  That I did Always Love: with flute doubling alto flute, harp, violin, viola, 'cello and double bass.
2c. That I did Always Love: with flute, and piano or organ. 

3.  Lavender Requiem:  7 movements in 22 minutes;  with soprano solo, solo SSATB quartet, chorus, percussion, timpani and string orchestra. Number II, is a setting of a poem by Emily Dickinson.
2a. Lavender Requiem:  with timpani and strings.
2b. Lavender Requiem:  with keyboard.


4.   Year of The Plagues: for soprano & bass soloists (tenor and/or alto may substitute) & mixed chorus 28 minutes. #3. Halloween, for soprano, uses a Dickinson poem.
4a. Year of The Plagues: 
with soloists, large chorus, flute, percussion, harp & strings. Movement 6 employs brass sextet 2/2/1/1, optional vibraphone & timpani. 
4b. Year of The Plagues: with soloists, small chorus or vocal quartet, flute, percussion, harp & double bass string quartet. Movement 6 employs optional vibraphone.
4c. Year of The Plagues: soloists and chorus with piano.

VIII. Music Theater: Book II: Music Theater for Adults: 
7
.  Sex Mystery or Off-nights at The Sometimes Café: was originaly composed
entirely with lyrics by Emily Dickinson.

   ​
Copyright © David Edgar Walther 2025
©
​
  • Listen
    • Orchestral Music
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  • Watch
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  • About
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Biography >
      • short bio
    • Education
    • Teachers
    • Press
    • Activism
    • Family
    • Crazy Dinosaurs >
      • Watch Crazy Dinosaurs
      • Watch Eurydice
      • Watch Dynosaur
  • Pieces
    • I. Chamber
    • II. Keyboard
    • III. Orchestra
    • IV. Dance
    • V. Voice
    • VI. Chorus
    • VII. Opera
    • VIII. Music Theater
    • IX. Critical Editions
    • James Joyce
    • Emily Dickinson
  • Photos
  • Contact