Case Western SingersThe Western Reserve Chorale, Devon T. Gess, conductor, will perform Dr. Adams' setting of the traditional spiritual "I want to die easy" for mixed choir, incidental solo, and piano. Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at the beautiful Harkness Hall at Case Western Reserve University; 11200 Bellflower Road;
Cleveland, Ohio.
Inside scoop on this work, noted by the composer: "In the case
of my special setting of the traditional minor mode spiritual, "I Want to
Die Easy," it was part of my grad final exams at Ohio State. My professor gave me a single staffed melody with lyrics
on a small sheet of paper. This as at
noon one day. The assignment was to do a
setting for mixed chorus and piano, due the next day at noon, completely
finished. Fortunately, I fell in love with the melody's beautiful flow, and I loved doing
the assignment. The work was completed
for mixed choir SATB, with
incidental solo (on second verse)
and piano, and turned in by noon the following day. Since then it's been performed frequently by
various choral groups, including tomorrow evening in University
Circle.