1996
Who
Composed by 
William Bolcom
William Bolcom Text by 
Jane Kenyon
Jane Kenyon Briefly It Enters Song Collection
"Who" is the first song of William Bolcom's song cycle Briefly It Enters, which sets nine poems of Jane Kenyon.
The audio recordings from Briefly It Enters are made possible through a collaboration between the Hampsong Foundation and SongFest. The performers are the 2012 SongFest Sorel Fellow Rachel Schutz, soprano, and Tomasz Lis, piano, and the performance took place at SongFest 2012 at The Colburn School.
Text
Who
by Jane Kenyon
These lines are written
by an animal, an angel,
a stranger sitting in my chair;
by someone who already knows
how to live without trouble
among books, and pots and pans…
Who is it who asks me to find
language for the sound
a sheep’s hoof makes when it strikes
a stone? And who speaks
the words which are my food?
Related Information
SongFest Website
songfest.usThe Sorel Organization
sorelmusic.org/festivals.htmVideo
Audio
“Who” (from “Briefly It Enters”)
Rachel Schutz (soprano) & Tomasz Lis (piano)1:48
Sheet Music
Briefly It Enters
William Bolcom
1. Who
2. The Clearing
3. Otherwise
4. February: Thinking of Flowers
5. Twilight: After Haying Text: Jane Kenyon6. Man Eating
7. The Sick Wife
8. Peonies at Dusk
9. Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks
2. The Clearing
3. Otherwise
4. February: Thinking of Flowers
5. Twilight: After Haying Text: Jane Kenyon6. Man Eating
7. The Sick Wife
8. Peonies at Dusk
9. Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks