What Weeping Face

Composer: Christopher Cooley

Words from Composer:

I was moved to set “What Weeping Face”, a short, melancholy poem by the great American poet Walt Whitman.  I responded to the images of weeping, and of tears streaming, with mysterious descending half steps.  In fact, the first half of the piece practically became a study in subtle half-step movement in all the voices.  The second half contains more functional tonality as it builds to an expressive climax.  Once I had the initial idea for the piece, it flowed quickly, and I finished it in just a couple days in January 2019.