Three Children’s Poems Of Eugene Field

I wrote this set of songs in January 2013, but the actual beginning of the cycle was much earlier. When I was fifteen, my composition teacher told me to write a song as my assignment for that week. I needed help finding text and my dad suggested “Little Boy Blue” by Eugene Field. I immediately connected with the poetry. I ended up applying to undergraduate programs with the song.
I always wanted to supplement “Little Boy Blue” with two other songs, but didn’t have the opportunity until 2013, when I had the chance to write for soprano Mellissa Hughes and pianist Lisa Moore. Eugene Field lived from 1850 to 1895 and was known as the “Children’s Poet” because he wrote almost exclusively children’s poems and funny essays. For this cycle, I selected poems that are simple and direct, but that also have darker undertones. These poems are rarer in Field’s output but I think they are gems. This work is dedicated to my father.

Premiered by soprano Melissa Hughes and pianist Lisa Moore in August 2013.

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