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It isn't a dream​.​.​.

by Melissa Dunphy

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1.
It isn't a dream... 04:53
lyrics
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It isn't a dream.... It comes again and again.... You hear ivy crying on steeples the flames haven't caught yet and images screaming when they see red light on the lilies on the stained glass window of St. Joseph. The girl with the black eyes holds you tight, and you run... and run past the wild, wild towers... and trees in the gardens tugging at their feet and little frightened dolls shut up in the shops crying... and crying... because no one stops... you spin like a penny thrown out in the street Then the man clutches her by the hair.... He always clutches her by the hair.... His eyes stick out like spears. You see her pulled-back face and her black, black eyes lit up by the glare.... Then everything goes out. Please God, don't let me dream any more of the girl with the black, black eyes. —From Sun-Up [I. Celia] by Lola Ridge (1920)

about

Commissioned by the Cornell University Chorus for their "No Whining, No Flowers" Commissioning Project.

"It Isn't A Dream is one of my favorite pieces I've been able to sing at Cornell, and it was an honor to sing it for Melissa and the audience at our Twilight Concert. Thank you, Melissa, for bringing such a wonderful piece to life and giving us the opportunity to introduce it to the world. I'm so proud of the Chorus for doing justice to this piece, and I can't wait for other treble choirs to get to sing it too." [Kathryn Miller '19, Cornell University Chorus Blog]

Score included with album download.

It isn't a dream....
It comes again and again....
You hear ivy crying on steeples
the flames haven't caught yet
and images screaming
when they see red light on the lilies
on the stained glass window of St. Joseph.
The girl with the black eyes holds you tight,
and you run... and run
past the wild, wild towers...
and trees in the gardens tugging at their feet
and little frightened dolls
shut up in the shops
crying... and crying... because no one stops...
you spin like a penny thrown out in the street
Then the man clutches her by the hair....
He always clutches her by the hair....
His eyes stick out like spears.
You see her pulled-back face
and her black, black eyes
lit up by the glare....
Then everything goes out.
Please God, don't let me dream any more
of the girl with the black, black eyes.

—From Sun-Up [I. Celia] by Lola Ridge (1920)

credits

released July 20, 2021

Cornell University Chorus

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Melissa Dunphy Philadelphia

Nationally acclaimed award-winning composer Melissa Dunphy specializes in political and theatrical vocal music, such as the smash hit 2009 choral work the Gonzales Cantata (featured on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow). Her compositions have been performed around the country by Chanticleer, the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, St. Louis Chamber Chorus, and the American Opera Theater. ... more

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