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Reena Esmail

Composer

Even After All this Time… (SATB only)

June 12, 2016 by

performance of Even After All This Time…
performed by Tonality; Tram Sparks, conductor

NOTE: There are two versions of Even After All This Time — this one is without clarinet. See sidebar for version with clarinet obbligato.

Program Notes

Even After All This Time… takes its text from a beautiful quote by 14th century Persian poet, Hafiz, in a translation by Daniel Ladinsky. The text of the piece is simply “Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, “You owe me.” Look what happens with a love like that: it lights the whole sky.” The text is set in English, with translated words from the incredibly expressive Persian language woven into the texture. 

This piece was written for the wedding of Lindsay Pope. Lindsay is an incredible choral conductor, and has been a long-time collaborator. She first commissioned Tuttarana, in 2015, which has since become one of my most performed pieces, and she then went on to write a dissertation on my work, entitled “Beyond the Binary: The Intersection of Gender and Cross-Cultural Identity in Reena Esmail’s Life and Choral Works”. **

This is the beauty of being alive. To grow with a collaborator who can perform, conduct and contextualize my music, who can show me my own practice through such a multitude of new lenses over years — it redefines who I am, and it reshapes what I write. Lindsay’s depth and passion truly does light the whole sky.

Recording

See video at top of page

Text

Even after all this time,
the sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me.”
Look what happens
with a love like that:
it lights the whole sky.”

— Daniel Ladinsky

Audio Guide

Audio Guide for Even After All This Time
note that referenced measure numbers might be slightly off,
as audio guide is for version with clarinet.

Performances

This version was premiered by Tonality on March 24, 2017 St. John’s Episcopal Church.

** If you would like to read Lindsay Pope’s dissertation, please Contact Us. This dissertation was the recipient of the 2019 Herford Prize from the American Choral Directors Association

Related Catalog Items

  • When the Violin (SATB+cello)
  • When the Violin (SATB+violin)
  • She Will Transform You (SATB + flute)
  • Tuttarana (SATB)

$1.50Select Purchase Options

Instrumentation: SATB (no divisi)

Duration: 6 minutes

Year: 2016

Movements: 1

Languages: English, Farsi

Commissioned by: Lindsay Pope

Program Notes

Recording

Text

Audio Guide (for performers)

Premiere/Performances

 

 

Copyright © 2023 Reena Esmail | All Rights Reserved.