Half Acre
Arranged for SATB choir, piano, and cello
About the Piece
I discovered this song in 2015 through my college choral professor, Dr. Dirk Garner. I was taken aback when I first heard the recording on Hem’s 2002 album, Rabbit Songs. Images of open fields and life in the countryside swarmed my head. Few songs have managed to have that kind of lasting impact on me, and I instantly imagined how gorgeous it could sound in a choral setting. So when Dr. Garner first asked me to write a new choral arrangement for the Baldwin Wallace Motet Choir, the choice was obvious. From the opening piano obstinate to the entrance of the cello, the song has a distinct aura, undoubtedly inspired baby the music of Aaron Copland, which defined the American sound of the 1940’s. The words of adventure and travel evoke feelings of a bittersweet nostalgia, especially feelings of home. Dirk always told us that one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone is a new song to love, a new artist to listen to. To me, Half Acre is the realization of that truth.