In time of silver rain by Canadian composer Sarah Quartel sets the Langston Hughes poem of the same name.
In Time of Silver Rain (1947)
In time of silver rain
The earth
Puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads
Of life, of life, of life!
In time of silver rain
The butterflies lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth
New leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway passing boys
And girls go singing, too,
In time of silver rain
When spring
And life are new.
In Time of Silver Rain by Langston Hughes (1901 - 1967), the celebrated African-American poet, paints many beautiful images of new life and the coming of spring. Hughes is well-known for his honest, insightful portrayals of the joys and hardships of Black life, particularly during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes was a prolific writer, creating poetry, novels, short stories, essays and plays. He never lost his conviction that “most people are generally good, in every race and in every country where I have been.”
This poem has been frequently set to music, and it is easy to see why. In springtime, the whole world seems to sing with new life and growth, and Hughes captures the essence of that time. “Trees put forth, new leaves to sing, and boys and girls go singing, too, in time of silver rain.” Whether the “time of silver rain” in Hughes’ poem references a metaphorical or real springtime is left to the reader to decide.
Composer Sarah Quartel describes herself as a singer first and foremost, and her compositions reflect that, as they are fun to sing and feel good in the voice. She shares that when composing a new piece, she first memorizes the poem, and then lets the melody and composition flow from the words. Her compositions enliven the text, allowing the listener to fully and richly imagine the world that the poet has crafted with their words.
In time of silver rain has a beautiful, peaceful melody that listeners will really enjoy. Please join us on Friday, April 28, to hear this and other beautiful music on Songs of Love and Springtime.