Can You Hear Me?

Title: Can You Hear Me?
Composer/Lyricist: Bob Chilcott
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Catalogue #: BC19
JW Pepper Cat. #: 3183191
Price: $1.70
Duration: 4:40
Voicing: SS/SA
Obligatto: piano
Key: C-major, F-minor, A-flat Major
Tessitura: c-f'
Piano Difficulty: medium difficult
Recording Available: http://musiceducationworld.com/files/Can_you_Hear_Me_-Brighton-Michael_Griffin.mp3

Notes:

As a rule, I am not a very emotional person, and very few songs move me to tears - this is one of them. Not because the song is sad, but because the music and the text are so well wedded to each other - every time I study it, I discover something new. On top of that, the theme is very powerful. The text is written from the perspective of a deaf child explaining his/her point of view to a hearing child. Doing this could very quickly become overly sentimental or condescending, but the composer does a fantastic job of walking that particular tightrope. The sparing use of sign language in the chorus is very effective, and should be included in your own performance. A handy guide is included on the inside cover for those not versed in the details of American (or other) sign language.

By and large, there are very few rhythmic challenges in the piece - no tied rhythms, no strange dotted eighth followed by 3 sixteenths, and then quarter rest tied to a whole note (please note the absurdity). The notable exception is then change from 4/4 time to 3/2. However, this occurs so smoothly that unless you point it out to your choir they'll probably not even notice it or consider it a difficulty. The homophonic writing can be difficult for younger/beginning choirs unless you have figured out a magic way to have your young singers sing in parts (in that case, please e-mail me your secret!). Also, be very careful at m. 53 - it could be very easy for a choir to bark the high f', rather than to make it a wonderfully musical moment. Contrast that with the piano dynamic just two measures later, and the juxtaposition is very moving - this is the emotional climax of the piece.

I say use your best interpretive judgment on this one. The composer has left enough information to give direction, but left enough out for your own choir to make it's own choices and provide their own meaning. That, beyond anything else, is the beauty of this song.