I Came to Your Shore as a Wayfaring Stranger

SATB div. a cappella
6:33 approx.

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 As a composer, I’ve always been interested in new perspectives, especially when it comes to material that is familiar. Perhaps that is the reason why I also enjoy “arranging” music. For this commission, I’ve decided to compose a quodlibet — a partner song — combining the well-known American Folk hymn Poor Wayfaring Stranger with newly composed music — a setting of Tagore’s Stray Birds verses 272 – 276.  Partner songs are often created to aid young singers in part-singing. I wanted to adapt that composition style in a mixed choir setting. 

I Came to Your Shore as a Wayfaring Stranger was commissioned by the Purdue Musical Organizations for their University Choir; Jacob Stensberg, conductor. The world premiere was given on April 2022. 

Poor Wayfaring Stranger

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
A travelin’ through this world of woe.
There is no sickness, toil, nor danger
In that bright land to which I go.

I’m goin’ there to see my mother.
I’m goin’ there no more to roam.
I’m just a goin’ over Jordan;
I’m just a goin’ over home.

Stray Birds
Rabindranath Tagore

272
I came to your shore as a stranger, I lived in your house as a guest,
I leave your door as a friend, my earth.

273
Let my thoughts come to you, when I am gone, like the afterglow
of sunset at the margin of starry silence.

274
Light in my heart the evening star of rest and then let the night
whisper to me of love.

275
I am a child in the dark.
I stretch my hands through the coverlet of night for thee, Mother.

276
The day of work is done. Hide my face in your arms, Mother.
Let me dream