I Grew a Rose

Composed by Florence Price
"I Grew a Rose" is a song by Florence Price on the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar. It is comprised of two poems by Dunbar: "Promise" and "Fulfilment". Price uses countermelodies and rich harmonies throughout the song, and she changes the key briefly to build tension toward the end of the "Promise" section. Her signature chromatic harmonies increase to illustrate "Fulfilment."

Audio

I Grew a Rose
Marcía Porter, soprano and Rosalyn Wright Floyd, piano3:29

Florence Price

Composer

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Poet(s)/Writer(s)

2022

Date

University of California, Irvine, Winifred Smith Hall

Location

This recording was part of a 8pm concert ("My Sister’s Keeper") on Friday, October 14, 2022 during the 25th Anniversary African American Art Song Alliance Conference. The concert venue was Winifred Smith Hall at the University of California, Irvine.

Text

Promise
by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I grew a rose within a garden fair,
And, tending it with more than loving care,
I thought how, with the glory of its bloom,
I should the darkness of my life illume;
And, watching, ever smiled to see the lusty bud
Drink freely in the summer sun to tinct its blood.

My rose began to open, and its hue
Was sweet to me as to it sun and dew;
I watched it taking on its ruddy flame
Until the day of perfect blooming came,
Then hasted I with smiles to find it blushing red—
Too late! Some thoughtless child had plucked my rose and fled!

Fulfilment [sic]
by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I grew a rose once more to please mine eyes.
All things to aid it—dew, sun, wind, fair skies—
Were kindly; and to shield it from despoil,
I fenced it safely in with grateful toil.
No other hand than mine shall pluck this flower, said I,
And I was jealous of the bee that hovered nigh.
It grew for days; I stood hour after hour
To watch the slow unfolding of the flower,
And then I did not leave its side at all,
Lest some mischance my flower should befall.
At last, oh joy! the central petals burst apart.
It blossomed—but, alas! a worm was at its heart!

Related Information

African Diaspora Music Project

africandiasporamusicproject.org/song/florence-price/i-grew-rose

Sheet Music

Florence Price: 44 Art Songs and Spirituals

Florence Price
A White Rose (John Boyle O'Reilly)
An April Day (Joseph Cotter)
Because (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
Beside the Sea (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
Bewilderment (Langston Hughes)
Dawn's Awakening (James Joseph Burke)
Death's Gwineter Lay His Cold Icy Hand on Me (Spiritual)
Feet o' Jesus (Langston Hughes)
Four Encore Songs: Tobacco (Graham Lee Hemminger); A Flea and a Fly (Ogden Nash); "Come, come," said Tom's Father (Thomas Moore); Song of the Open Road (Ogden Nash)
Go Down, Moses (Spiritual)
God Gives Me You (Nora Connelly)
Hold Fast to Dreams (Langston Hughes)
I Grew a Rose (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
I'm Goin' to Lay Down My Heavy Load (Spiritual)
Love-in-a-mist (Mary Rolofson Gamble)
My Little Soul's Goin' to Shine (Spiritual)
My Neighbor (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
My Soul's Been Anchored in de Lord (Spiritual)
Night (Louise C. Wallace)
Out of the South Blew a Wind (Fannie Carter Woods)
Resignation (Florence B. Price)
Rise Mourner (Spiritual)
Save Me Lord, Save Me (Spiritual)
Some o' These Days (Spiritual)
Song to the Dark Virgin (Langston Hughes)
Sunset (Odessa P. Elder)
Sympathy (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
The Glory of the Day Was in Her Face (James Weldon Johnson)
The Moon Bridge (Mary Rolofson Gamble)
The Poet and His Song (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
The Washerwoman (Otto Leland Bohanan)
To My Little Son (Julia Johnson Davis)
Travel's End (Mary Folwell Hoisington)
Trouble Done Come My Way (Florence B. Price)
Two Traditional Negro Spirituals: I am Bound for the Kingdom; I'm Workin' on My Buildin'
We Have Tomorrow (Langston Hughes)
Weary Traveler (Spiritual)
What's the Use (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
Words for a Spiritual ("Capricorn")
You Won't Find a Man Like Jesus (Spiritual)
Medium/High
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