‘Tis Sweet to Roam

‘Tis Sweet to Roam

Year: 2024-2025

Duration: ~1:30

Instrumentation: SATB Chorus

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‘Tis Sweet To Roam was composed for a new choral composition reading and recording session spearheaded by composer Mark Holmes À Court in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Special thanks to Madly Friesen for conducting the sessions, to Mark Holmes À Court and Emma Lytle for organization and assistance at the sessions, and to all of the wonderful singers who brought the piece to life!

The poem ‘Tis Sweet To Roam was retrieved from “A Nonsense Anthology” compiled by Carol Wells and published in 1910, with its author listed as Anonymous.

'Tis Sweet To Roam                                                                  

Anonymous (ca. 1910)

  'Tis sweet to roam when morning's light

      Resounds across the deep;

  And the crystal song of the woodbine bright

      Hushes the rocks to sleep,

  And the blood-red moon in the blaze of noon

      Is bathed in a crumbling dew,

  And the wolf rings out with a glittering shout,

      To-whit, to-whit, to-whoo!*

*The composer has replaced this interpretation of a wolf’s shout with “Awoo” for this piece. Should you wish to make other wolf sounds in addition to or instead of this interpretation, you are encouraged to do so!