POLARIS by Blake Morgan, words by Andrea Haines
POLARIS by Blake Morgan, words by Andrea Haines
by BLAKE MORGAN (1991 - )
words by ANDREA HAINES (1986 - )
Forces | SATB divisi + semichorus SATB divisi
Duration | c. 5’20”
Difficulty | Medium - Hard
About the piece
For centuries, Polaris (also known as the North Star or the Polar Star) has hung high in the night sky, serving mankind as a trustworthy point of reference; for navigation to lands afar, for inspiration as a symbol of steadfastness and for illumination as we make or find home again. In this composition, the star itself is depicted musically by the repetition of a middle C — flickering in and out of focus, gradually growing brighter and then fading again, sometimes unseen or unheard, but ever constant. This particular note has always fascinated me; it is one of the only unison pitches shared between the standard singing/speaking registers of all four choral voice parts. Despite my scoring this repetitive line primarily in the tenor and bass staves, it may also be boosted by a team of mixed voices (including some sopranos and altos), creating a more blended and expansive effect. In addition, this repeating middle C is not always consonant with the harmony sounding beneath it. Indeed, the “tonic” chord (G major) and the steadily looping drone (the suspended 4th of it) are polarised from one another by nature, but it is that star itself — the continuous flickering of middle C — which shepherds the listener through the journey of progressions and illuminates the way. This note serves as the compass and musical axis for the entire piece.
When I first read Andrea’s poem, I was struck immediately by the unique portrait of “home” she paints; it is not always a place or a person, nor is it confined to being a physical thing at all. Home can be a feeling — a sensation we take with us to any corner of the world. Sometimes we just need to search the sky for our very own North Star, and follow the glow.
“... home is wherever I sail / Beneath your sight.”
Blake Morgan, October 2023