Description

Commissioned by Choral Arts Initiative for the 2018 PREMIERE|Project Festival.

“O Captain! My Captain!” for handbell ensemble and choir is the sixth movement of a large choral cycle
of Whitman poetry scored for choir, harp, and handbells entitled Voyaging. The premiere of Voyaging
was given by Choral Arts Initiative in Anaheim, CA, led by Artistic Director Brandon Elliott in March
2019.  This work includes 3-7.5 OCT. HANDBELLS AND CHORUS (SATB divisi).
The poem is the most widely known and most grim of the Whitman poetry in Voyaging; this movement
serves as a center of the larger work. Bell tones heralding the celebration of the victorious ship are set
against impassioned phrases of shock that the leader has perished. While the other poems depict the
voyage of the soul aboard the body and the eagerness to sail forth, this poem (itself metaphorical for the
Civil War and the fallen Lincoln) depicts the starkness of a fresh tragedy.

HANDBELL SCORE AND CHORAL SCORE ARE $3 PER COPY.  FULL SCORE IS $4 PER COPY.  Also, this piece has no discount associated with it, for ringers or for Heitz Handbells and Music.   If you want paper copy, please choose O Captain Paper and you will be charged $4.50 for the handbell score.