Neutral Tones

One of two songs I wrote for my sister to perform on her senior undergraduate recital. The lyrics are a poem by Thomas Hardy:Now with a live recording!Neutral TonesWE stood by a pond that winter day,And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,And a few leaves lay on the starving sod,--They had fallen from an ash, and were gray.Your eyes on me were as eyes that roveOver tedious riddles solved years ago;And some words played between us to and fro--On which lost the more by our love.The smile on your mouth was the deadest thingAlive enough to have strength to die;And a grin of bitterness swept therebyLike an ominous bird a-wing....Since then, keen lessons that love deceives,And wrings with wrong, have shaped to meYour face, and the God-curst sun, and a tree,And a pond edged with grayish leaves.-Thomas HardyThanks for listening! Comments appreciated.

Neutral Tones

I love this.

The light accompaniment, yet great tension.

One notation issue: the Bb in ms 54 and 22 are misplaced