The Coin- for SSAA Choir, with Piano Accompaniment
Into my heart’s treasury
I slipped a coin
That time cannot take
Nor thief purloin--,
Oh, better than the minting
Of a gold-crowned king
Is the safe-kept memory
Of a lovely thing.
Sara Teasdale, an early 20th century American poet, wrote of beauty, longing, pain, and intimacy. “The Coin” appeared in her collection Flame and Shadow, published in 1920. For me, “slipping” a memory into my heart for safekeeping suggests a quiet, private devotion. The poem speaks both of the heart as a safe repository for what is valuable and of the pleasure and power of remembering. Knowing that Teasdale committed suicide in 1933, I have thoughts and questions as I read the poem. Not memory alone, but memory along with meaning and loving connection, sustain my heart. Is it enough to keep and protect love, given our human need to share and give? The harmonies in this arrangement carry the sweet, sad tension between joy and loss. This piece was commissioned by Dr. Letícia Grützmann and the Carroll University Treble Choir and premiered March 8, 2023, at Carroll University Shattuck Auditorium in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Duration: 03:29
Vocal ranges:
Soprano 1: F4 to G#5
Soprano 2: D4 to E5
Alto 1: B3 to C5
Alto 2: G3 to A4
Price: $2/per singer in your ensemble
Upon checkout, PDF score will be licensed and emailed to you within 48 hours. Practice tracks are available on request.
Scroll down for return policy and to listen to this piece.
I would be happy to visit with your ensemble! I’m available on Zoom or Teams, or in person if you are within 200 miles of Milwaukee, WI.
With appreciation to Dr. Letícia Grützmann and Dr. Joel Matthys for their support and guidance.
Into my heart’s treasury
I slipped a coin
That time cannot take
Nor thief purloin--,
Oh, better than the minting
Of a gold-crowned king
Is the safe-kept memory
Of a lovely thing.
Sara Teasdale, an early 20th century American poet, wrote of beauty, longing, pain, and intimacy. “The Coin” appeared in her collection Flame and Shadow, published in 1920. For me, “slipping” a memory into my heart for safekeeping suggests a quiet, private devotion. The poem speaks both of the heart as a safe repository for what is valuable and of the pleasure and power of remembering. Knowing that Teasdale committed suicide in 1933, I have thoughts and questions as I read the poem. Not memory alone, but memory along with meaning and loving connection, sustain my heart. Is it enough to keep and protect love, given our human need to share and give? The harmonies in this arrangement carry the sweet, sad tension between joy and loss. This piece was commissioned by Dr. Letícia Grützmann and the Carroll University Treble Choir and premiered March 8, 2023, at Carroll University Shattuck Auditorium in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Duration: 03:29
Vocal ranges:
Soprano 1: F4 to G#5
Soprano 2: D4 to E5
Alto 1: B3 to C5
Alto 2: G3 to A4
Price: $2/per singer in your ensemble
Upon checkout, PDF score will be licensed and emailed to you within 48 hours. Practice tracks are available on request.
Scroll down for return policy and to listen to this piece.
I would be happy to visit with your ensemble! I’m available on Zoom or Teams, or in person if you are within 200 miles of Milwaukee, WI.
With appreciation to Dr. Letícia Grützmann and Dr. Joel Matthys for their support and guidance.
Into my heart’s treasury
I slipped a coin
That time cannot take
Nor thief purloin--,
Oh, better than the minting
Of a gold-crowned king
Is the safe-kept memory
Of a lovely thing.
Sara Teasdale, an early 20th century American poet, wrote of beauty, longing, pain, and intimacy. “The Coin” appeared in her collection Flame and Shadow, published in 1920. For me, “slipping” a memory into my heart for safekeeping suggests a quiet, private devotion. The poem speaks both of the heart as a safe repository for what is valuable and of the pleasure and power of remembering. Knowing that Teasdale committed suicide in 1933, I have thoughts and questions as I read the poem. Not memory alone, but memory along with meaning and loving connection, sustain my heart. Is it enough to keep and protect love, given our human need to share and give? The harmonies in this arrangement carry the sweet, sad tension between joy and loss. This piece was commissioned by Dr. Letícia Grützmann and the Carroll University Treble Choir and premiered March 8, 2023, at Carroll University Shattuck Auditorium in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Duration: 03:29
Vocal ranges:
Soprano 1: F4 to G#5
Soprano 2: D4 to E5
Alto 1: B3 to C5
Alto 2: G3 to A4
Price: $2/per singer in your ensemble
Upon checkout, PDF score will be licensed and emailed to you within 48 hours. Practice tracks are available on request.
Scroll down for return policy and to listen to this piece.
I would be happy to visit with your ensemble! I’m available on Zoom or Teams, or in person if you are within 200 miles of Milwaukee, WI.
With appreciation to Dr. Letícia Grützmann and Dr. Joel Matthys for their support and guidance.
Return policy: I do not accept scores for return. Please preview the score, listen to the audio provided, and send me any questions you have before you buy. I want you to be happy with your purchase!
Listen to a simulation:
Watch the 3/8/2023 premiere, performed by the Carroll University Treble Choir and singers from Waukesha’s North and South High Schools and Butler Middle School: