1994

Let Evening Come

Composed by William Bolcom
Text by Jane Kenyon

Let Evening Come Song Collection

"Let Evening Come" is the fourth and final song of Bolcom's cycle Let Evening Come, which sets the poetry of Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson and Jane Kenyon for soprano, viola and piano. The song "Let Evening Come" is preceded by an interlude for viola and piano. The audio recording of "Let Evening Come" is made possible through a collaboration between the Hampsong Foundation and SongFest. The performers are Laura Strickling, soprano, Laura Pearson, viola, and Liza Stepanova, piano, and the performance took place at SongFest 2012 at The Colburn School.

Text

Let Evening Come
by Jane Kenyon

Let Evening Come

Let the light of late afternoon
shine through chinks in the barn, moving
up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing
as a woman takes up her needles
and her yarn. Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned
in long grass. Let the stars appear
and the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.
Let the wind die down. Let the shed
go black inside. Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
in the oats, to air in the lung
let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don’t
be afraid. God does not leave us
comfortless, so let evening come.

Related Information

SongFest Website

songfest.us

Video

Audio

“Let Evening Come” (from “Let Evening Come”)
Laura Strickling (soprano), Laura Pearson (viola) & Liza Stepanova (piano)6:25

William Bolcom

Composer

Jane Kenyon

Poet(s)/Writer(s)

2012

Date

The Colburn School (Zipper Hall)

Location

In collaboration with SongFest (http://songfest.us)

Sheet Music

Let Evening Come

William Bolcom
1. Ailey, Baldwin, Floyd, Killens, and Mayfield
2. 'Tis Not That Dying Hurts Us So
3. Let Evening Come
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