Whitacre composed a hauntingly beautiful setting of the Frost text, and it was premiered to immediate acclaim. However, a major hurdle emerged shortly after: The Legal Wall
, became even more popular than the original concept. It is now a staple of choral repertoire worldwide, known for its lush "cluster chords" that evoke a dreamlike state. sleep+eric+whitacre+pdf
The official publisher, GIA Music (giamusic.com), sells an authorized digital edition. For roughly $2.50 to $4.00 per copy (depending on quantity), you receive a high-resolution, watermarked PDF that you can print for your choir. Whitacre composed a hauntingly beautiful setting of the
: With a finished piece he couldn't legally distribute, Whitacre faced the prospect of "burying" one of his best works. The Rebirth of the Lyrics The official publisher, GIA Music (giamusic
No discussion of "Sleep" is complete without mentioning Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 2.0, which featured 2,052 singers from 58 countries singing "Sleep." This project catapulted the piece into the mainstream. If you search for the you are likely preparing to sing along with that iconic YouTube video.
Whitacre utilizes closely voiced clusters (second intervals) to create a "shimmering" effect that mimics the threshold between wakefulness and dreaming. Dynamic Shaping: