b. 1921d. 1999
Leo Smit
A prolific composer, Leo Smit wrote two operas and over ninety songs, with the majority of his songs on the text of Emily Dickinson as part of his work The Ecstatic Pilgrimage. Smit was also the premiere performer of Aaron Copland's piano works during his lifetime, as well as a conductor and dedicated educator. In addition to Dickinson, Smit also set the texts of Beth Frost, Thomas Hardy, Anthony Hecht, Robert Lowell, Theodore Roethke, Anne Sexton, and Marcia Willieme, in addition to many others.
Photo: Leo Smit, self-portrait, University of Buffalo Music Library
About
Born in Philadelphia, Leo Smit attended the Curtis Institute for piano starting in 1930. His composition studies began in 1935 under the guidance of Nicolas Nabokov.
Smit taught at Sarah Lawrence College, UCLA, and, most notably, SUNY Buffalo. He became a close friend of Aaron Copland after meeting him in 1943 and recorded Copland’s complete works for piano.
Smit’s most extensive composition, The Ecstatic Pilgrimage, is a six-cycle song group, which sets the poetry of Emily Dickinson. There are a total of 76 songs in The Ecstatic Pilgrimage. The songs were composed between 1988 and 1990, and Smit wrote about his connection to Dickinson:
“Since August 1988…Emily Dickinson has been running my life. I found many references to music, some direct, others metaphoric, and to birds, her symbols for life and creativity…A few months after falling under the spell of the great poet, I dreamed I was in her house, playing on her twangy square grand piano, knowing she was in her upstairs bedroom listening through the narrowly opened door. When I finished, I turned around, sensing a presence, and saw a slight girl in white, enveloped by a fiery mist. She silently pressed two hyacinths into my hand and vanished. I still have not awakened from my dream.”
The songs of The Ecstatic Pilgrimage are strongly tonal and contrastive, with both lyrical and dramatic elements.
For more detailed information about Leo Smit’s life and works, please visit the University of Buffalo’s website: Remembering Leo Smit. For inquiries about Leo Smit and to obtain sheet music, please contact Nils Vigeland at nvigeland@optonline.net.
–Christie Finn
Source: Nils Vigeland’s article in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Related Information
Remembering Leo Smit
library.buffalo.edu/music/exhibits/smitLeo Smit (American composer)
leo-smit-american-composer.co.tvRemembering Leo Smit
library.buffalo.edu/music/exhibits/smitSongs
‘Twas the old — road — through pain —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonA Light exists in Spring1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonA loss of something ever felt I —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonA train went through a burial gate1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonA Wife — at daybreak I shall be —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonAfter great pain, a formal feeling comes —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonAt least — to pray — is left1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonBetter — than Music! For I — who heard it —1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonBeyond Circumference1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonBind me — I still can sing —1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonChilde Emilie1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonDeparted — to the Judgment —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonExtol thee — could I? Then I will1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonFour Trees — upon a solitary Acre —1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonGo slow, my soul, to feed thyself1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonGood Morning — Midnight —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonHeart, not so heavy as mine1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI cannot dance upon my Toes —1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI cried at Pity — not at Pain —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI died for beauty, but was scarce1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI dwell in Possibility —1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI have no Life but this —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI heard a Fly buzz — when I died —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI reason, Earth is short —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI reckon — when I count it all —1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI saw no Way — The Heavens were stitched —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI see thee better — in the Dark —1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI shall keep singing!1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitI shall know why — when Time is over —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI was a Phoebe — nothing more —1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI was the slightest in the House —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI went to Heaven —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI would not paint — a picture —1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI’m ceded — I’ve stopped being Theirs —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonI’ve seen a Dying Eye1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonImage of Light, Adieu —1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitIs it too late to touch you, Dear?1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonIt troubled me as once I was —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonLet Us play Yesterday —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonMe — come! My dazzled face1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonMe prove it now — Whoever doubt1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonMy Life had stood — a Loaded Gun —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonOf Course — I prayed —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonOf Tolling Bell I ask the cause?1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonPapa above!1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonSo well that I can live without —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonSoftened by Time’s consummate plush1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThat first Day, when you praised Me, Sweet1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThat Such have died enable Us1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Angle of a Landscape —1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Bird her punctual music brings1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Bobolink is gone —1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Celestial Thrush1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Child’s faith is new —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Earth has many keys –1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Ecstatic Pilgrimage1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonThe face I carry with me — last —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Fingers of the Light1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe first Day’s Night had come —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Marigold Heart1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Martyr Poets — did not tell —1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Mountain sat upon the Plain1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Mountains stood in Haze —1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Poets light but Lamps —1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThe Sun Kept Setting2000 · How Well I Knew the LightJake HeggieEmily DickinsonThe White Diadem1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonThere came a Day at Summer’s full1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThere is a pain — so utter —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThere’s a certain Slant of light1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThey shut me up in Prose —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonThrough lane it lay — through bramble —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonTinted Mountains1990Leo SmitEmily DickinsonTitle divine — is mine!1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonTo pile like Thunder to its close1990 · The White DiademLeo SmitEmily DickinsonUnder the Light, yet under1990 · Tinted MountainsLeo SmitEmily DickinsonUp Life’s Hill with my my little Bundle1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonUpon his Saddle sprung a Bird1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWe dream — it is good we are dreaming —1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWe talked as Girls do —1990 · Childe EmilieLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWhat if I say I shall not wait!1990 · Beyond CircumferenceLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWhat shall I do — it whimpers so —1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWild Nights — Wild Nights!1990 · The Marigold HeartLeo SmitEmily DickinsonWithin my Garden, rides a Bird1990 · The Celestial ThrushLeo SmitEmily Dickinson
Sheet Music
Childe Emilie
Leo Smit
1. I was the slightest in the House
2. Through lane it lay - through bramble
3. It troubled me as once I was
4. The Child's faith is new
5. Softened by Time's consummate plush
6. Papa above!
7. We talked as Girls do
8. They shut me up in Prose
9. I cried at Pity - not at Pain
10. Let Us play Yesterday
11. A loss of something ever felt I
12. Good Morning - Midnight
13. Up Life's Hill with my little Bundle
14. I'm ceded - I've stopped being Theirs
2. Through lane it lay - through bramble
3. It troubled me as once I was
4. The Child's faith is new
5. Softened by Time's consummate plush
6. Papa above!
7. We talked as Girls do
8. They shut me up in Prose
9. I cried at Pity - not at Pain
10. Let Us play Yesterday
11. A loss of something ever felt I
12. Good Morning - Midnight
13. Up Life's Hill with my little Bundle
14. I'm ceded - I've stopped being Theirs
Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano
The White Diadem
Leo Smit
1. I reckon - when I count at all
2. I dwell in Possibility
3. The Martyr Poets - did not tell
4. The Poets light but Lamps
5. I would not paint - a picture
6. To pile like Thunder to its close
7. Me - come! My dazzled face
2. I dwell in Possibility
3. The Martyr Poets - did not tell
4. The Poets light but Lamps
5. I would not paint - a picture
6. To pile like Thunder to its close
7. Me - come! My dazzled face
Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano