Sarah Quartel - She Sang the Stars

for SSAA and piano She Sang the Stars uses the lens of Elias Lönnrot's Finnish epic, the Kalevala, to explore the stages of womanhood. With texts in English translation, the outer movements act as an introduction and conclusion, while the central movements profile three female characters from the Kalevala at different stages of life: Ilmatar (Youth), Lempi (Warrior Mother), and Louhi (Wise Woman). Quartel's writing is rich in expression and rhythmic vivacity, with both voices and piano contributing to the evocative storytelling.

Contents 1. Start off

Contents 1. Start off Singing 5 2. Water-Mother 9 3. She Ran 22 4. Stealing Fire 27 5. Song of the Stars 40 Composer’s note She Sang the Stars tells stories inspired by three women characters from the Finnish epic poem the Kalevala. In movement 1, ‘Start off Singing’, a storyteller sets the stage and prepares to share a tale that has long been hidden in the cold. Movement 2 tells the story of young Ilmatar, ‘Water-Mother’, who steps down from the sky to the sea and is impregnated by a tempest. She carries her child for centuries before giving birth. ‘She Ran’, movement 3, follows Lempi as she relentlessly searches for her lost son. She tracks him as a wolf, swims through rivers as an otter, and even asks the trees if they have seen her ‘staff of silver’, her precious child. In movement 4, ‘Stealing Fire’, wise and powerful witch Louhi demonstrates her command of the elements and uses all magic available to her to seek justice against those who have wronged her. Often seen as the main villain of the Kalevala, here she is revered as a strong and powerful matriarch. The final movement, ‘Song of the Stars’, is without text and honours the presence of the stars, particularly Ursa Major (Great Bear), referenced throughout the Kalevala. All-knowing and all-seeing, the stars shone well before these tales were told and will remain long after the story is done. While the seeds inspiring other works in my catalogue may be traced to a poem, event, or landscape, the heart of this work grew from the collaborative relationship developed with the commissioning ensemble. I dedicate this work, with warmest thanks, to Kerra Simmons, Artistic Director, and all the choristers in Singing Girls of Texas, 2022–2024. Let them sing. for online perusal only Duration: 14 mins

Commissioned by Singing Girls of Texas, Kerra Simmons, Artistic Director, to celebrate and empower all singers She Sang the Stars Echoes of Women from the Kalevala SARAH QUARTEL Extracts from the Kalevala for online perusal only * Close immediately to the ng at the end of each iteration of the word ‘singing’. † Grace notes without lines through should be sung on the beat; those with lines should be sung before the beat. This work © Oxford University Press 2024. Extracts from the Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by Keith Bosley, © 1989 Oxford University Press. Reproduced by permission. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, MUSIC DEPARTMENT, GREAT CLARENDON STREET, OXFORD OX2 6DP The Moral Rights of the Composer have been asserted. Photocopying this copyright material is ILLEGAL.