This Broad Land
by Kile Smith | Jul 4, 2010 | Classical music, New Compositions, new music
This started as another piece with another title. Ursinus College asked me to compose a short work honoring President John Strassburger on his retirement, and the key to the piece came from his own writings. In his essay on Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, he...Recent & Upcoming Highlights
2 Mar. Where Flames a Word. Madison Choral Project, Albert Pinsonneault, Luther Memorial Church, Madison, WI
PREMIERE 9 Mar. Jubilate Deo for chorus and orchestra. Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Sheldon Bair, Bel Air, MD
PREMIERE 14 Mar. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia
15 Mar. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. First and Central Presbyterian, Wilmington, DE
16 Mar. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. Levering Mill Tribute House, Bala Cynwyd, PA
29 Mar. In the Midst of Life. Richmond Concert Chorale, Ryan Tibbetts
PUBLISHED 9 Apr. America, the Beautiful. SSAA, piano, 4′, ECS Publishing, Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series
10 Apr. Sometimes It Happens So. Benjamin Flanders, baritone, Sonya Szabo-Reynolds, piano. Skald Festival, Northern Kentucky University
12 Apr. I Want to Write a Book of Praise, from The Arc in the Sky. Wheaton College Men’s Glee Club, John Swedberg
PREMIERE 26 Apr. Even the Grass Must Sing, plus “To One Coming North” from Northland. The Choristers with orchestra, Lansdale, PA, David Spitko
10 May. The Consolation of Apollo. Apollo Chorus of Chicago, Stephen Alltop
17 May. The Waking Sun. Back Bay Chorale, Stephen Spinelli. Sanders Theater, Harvard Memorial Hall
RELEASED 23 May. my son my son. On the album Across the Open Spaces, Khorikos, Alec Galambos
14 Jun. my son my son. Release party, Across the Open Spaces CD Khorikos, Alec Galambos, including performance of this and Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn from Vespers
12 Jul. O Thou Who Camest from Above. Csehy Summer School of Music Chamber Choir, Floyd Rawleigh, Langhorne, PA
24 Jul. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM
27 Jul. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM
1 Aug. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM
PREMIERE 18, 19 Oct. Let All the Strains of Joy (Tagore) plus Where the Mind Is Without Fear (Tagore). The Crossing, Donald Nally. Philadelphia
2026
PREMIERE. 25, 26 Apr. New Work, Dolce Canto, David Edmonds, Missoula, MT
Recent CDs
The Bremen Town Musicians. English Symphony Orchestra, Gemma Whelan, narrator, Kenneth Woods, conductor. Fiddles, Forests, and Fowl Fables.
The Arc in the Sky. The Crossing. 2020 Grammy nomination, Best Choral Performance
Canticle and Alleluia. Vocal Arts Ensemble. 2020 Grammy, Classical Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh
In This Blue Room, other songs. Lyric Fest
A Child’s Afternoon. Fantasmagoria. Anna K. Meyer, flute, & Erik Meyer, organ
The Nobility of Women. Mélomanie
The Stars Shine, from The Consolation of Apollo. The Same Stream
Vespers. Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, and The Crossing
Where Flames a Word. The Crossing
Where Flames a Word. Voces Tallinn. 2020 Estonian Recording of the Year
Where Flames a Word. Khorikos
Where Flames a Word. Chicago Chamber Choir
Selected publications
The Star-Spangled Banner. SATB, piano, opt. cello, 5’30”. Hal Leonard
Alleluia. SATB, 6′. Hal Leonard
The Consolation of Apollo. SATB, perc, 35′. MusicSpoke
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. SATB, bells, 3′. Hal Leonard
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. SATB, org, 3′. Concordia.