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god (you) | Rachel Lanik Whelan | MusicSpoke

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God

Rachel​ ​Lanik​ ​Whelan Text​ ​by​ ​P.​ ​L.​ ​Thomas 2016 SATB​ ​and​ ​PIano

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.


God SATB​ ​and​ ​piano 4​ ​minutes​ ​15​ ​seconds 2016 when​ ​i​ ​look​ ​at​ ​any​ ​child it​ ​is​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​god when​ ​i​ ​look​ ​at​ ​most​ ​adults it​ ​is​ ​impossible​ ​to​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​god and​ ​then​ ​there​ ​is​ ​you god,​ ​yes,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​you (P.​ ​L.​ ​Thomas) Too​ ​often​ ​composers​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​public​ ​domain​ ​poetry​ ​when​ ​choosing​ ​text.​ ​I​ ​too​ a​ m guilty​ ​of​ ​this​ ​trend,​ ​and​ ​often​ ​find​ ​that​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​disconnected​ ​from​ ​the​ ​meaning​ ​in the​ ​words​ ​when​ ​the​ ​poet​ ​is​ ​long​ ​dead.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​introduced​ ​to​ ​the​ ​poetry​ ​of​ ​P.​ ​L. Thomas​ ​and​ ​immediately​ ​devoured​ ​every​ ​poem​ ​of​ ​his​ ​I​ ​could​ ​find.​ ​The​ ​simplicity of​ ​“god”​ ​struck​ ​me​ ​as​ ​incredibly​ ​thoughtful.​ ​The​ ​simple​ p​ rofundity​ ​of​ ​this​ ​short poem​ ​presents​ ​multiple​ ​interpretations.​ ​I​ ​encourage​ ​listeners​ ​and​ ​performers​ ​to take​ ​whatever​ ​meaning​ ​they​ ​choose​ ​from​ ​this​ ​text​ ​and​ ​its​ ​setting.​ ​Paul​ ​L. Thomas​ ​(1961)​ ​is​ ​a​ ​poet​ ​and​ ​professor​ ​of​ ​education​ ​at​ ​Furman​ ​University​ ​in South​ ​Carolina.​ ​More​ ​of​ ​his​ ​poetry​ ​can​ ​be​ ​found​ ​at https://plthomasselectedpoetry.wordpress.com/

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god P.L. Thomas

Rachel Lanik Whelan

° b7 SOPRANO & b 8

∑

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b7 &b 8

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Plainly and articulate, minimal expression e = 184

ALTO

b 7 pœ œ œ œ œ œ œ b & 8 ‹ When I look at a - ny child

TENOR

BASS

Piano

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{

b &b

look

at

a - ny child when

I

look

at

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ppp

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at

look

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when

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I

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b7 &b 8

b &b

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when

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Copyright © 2016

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2

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“œ” œœ

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3

° bb 2 & 4

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more gently

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44

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most a - dults

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p

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œ

œ œ

œ

look at most a -

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at most a - dults

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4

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look

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most look

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look

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look

at

most

a

3

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at

most

a -

at

b4 &b 4 Œ Œ Ó ‹ ∑

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it is im - pos - si - ble to be - lieve 3

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in

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god.

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ah

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ah

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mp

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44 44

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3

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to

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god.

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ah

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p

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god.

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50

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j ‰ œœ œ

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Œ

˙˙ ˙

Œ

Œ

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U w w w

bbb


6

° bb pœ™ j & b œ ˙ 55

pushing forward, q = 104

And

b &b b Ó

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then

p

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then

then

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mf

w w w w

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w

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w w

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w w w

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there is

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˙˙ > w w w

Ó

then

you

> w w w

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then

w

you

then

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then

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w ww w w w

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then

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p

and

p

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and then

p

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w ww w ww

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?b ¢ bb ˙ b &b b

and

Ó

63

b &b b ‹

˙

mf

then

mf

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and then

Ó

then

then

n˙

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then and then pushing forward, q = 104

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j œ ˙

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then

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and

and

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p

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p

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b &b b ‹

Œ

w w w w >

you

˙

w

w w

w w

w w

w w

you

you

w w w w w w w

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∑ ∑


7

° bb f˙ & b˙ 71

and

b f b & b ˙˙

and

b & b b ˙˙ ‹ and f

f

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and

b &b b

˙˙ then

subito p œœ œœ ‰ œ ˙ ™ J

43

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∑

there is

˙˙

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then

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then

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you

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there is

you subito p

there is

you

Œ

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° b & b b w˙ ™

43

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there is

Ó

you

b &b b

w w

you

b &b b w w ‹ you

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you

mp 3

3

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w

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there

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f

f

God

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f

is

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w w

˙˙

you

w w

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yes

˙

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God

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yes

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mp

w w

God

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mp

w w

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God

w w

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Yes

f

w

w w ˙˙˙˙

˙˙

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˙ ˙˙˙ œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ œ œ

b &b b Ó

˙˙

God

43

77

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f

God

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f

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you

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then

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you

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you

mp

w w

you

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mp

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8

° bb & b

∑

b &b b

∑

82

˙˙

Ó

w w

˙˙

œ

∑

w w

œ

there

f

is

w w

you

ww

When I look at a - ny child when I look at a - ny child you

f

˙ ˙

w w

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God

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° b ffw &b b w

˙˙

b ff b & bw w

˙˙

87

˙˙˙ ˙

God ff

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ww you

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˙˙˙ ˙

Ó

Ó

Ó

U w w

∑

U w w

∑

you

b &b b ˙ ‹ God

˙

?b ˙ ¢ bb ff

˙

God

yes

˙

yes

Ó

˙˙˙ ˙

œ Ó

œ is

U w w

˙

˙

God

yes

˙

˙

God

yes

mf

Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

you

When I look at a - ny child when I look at a - ny child

U w w

mf

˙˙

˙˙

∑

you

U w ˙˙ w w ∑ ˙˙ Ó > U > w ? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w w b

mf

mf

you

there

˙

ww

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God

{

œ

œ œœ œœœ œ œ œœ œœœ œ w w

Œ

˙˙˙ ˙ b &b b

b &b b

w˙ ™ you

f

God

?b ¢ bb

? bb b

˙˙

Yes

b &b b ‹

{

f

Ó

God

Ó

Œ

Ó

Œ

œ œ

f

œœ

œ œ œœ

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yes

œœ œœ

œœ œœ

Œ Œ


9

° bb ˙ & b 92

b &b b ˙

œ

œ

mp

there

is

you.

œ

there

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w

mp

w

{

b &b b

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there

mp

œœ

p

∑

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ look

at

a - ny child when

∑

∑

∑

∑

> > ? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b

œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ

∑

∑

∑

∑

b &b b

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

b &b b œ œ œ œ Ó ‹ at a - ny child

?b ¢ bb

∑

∑

∑

∑

b &b b

∑

∑

∑

∑

{

look

œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ œ

° b &b b 95

I

is.

∑

mf

∑

you.

b &b b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ when I look at a - ny child when I look at a - ny child when I

?b ˙ ¢ bb ˙

p

>œ œ œ œ pœ œ œ >œ œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? bb b

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.


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