Composer: Stephen Chatman
Text author: Sara Teasdale
Publisher: E.C. Schirmer Music Co.
Abstract: The opening lines, “Listen, I love you. Do not turn your face / Nor touch me” reflect the somber feelings encompassing Sara Teasdale’s poem. Paired voices initially express contrapuntal melodic lines enhanced by underlying harmony and slow syncopation in the piano accompaniment. The middle and final sections, imbued with sad words such as “let me ease my heart,” “with broken wing” and “forget that I am speaking” evolve beautifully within contrasting tonal regions supported by undulating keyboard arpeggios. One of a set of six of Teasdale’s love songs.