This edition was prepared by James Crawford — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Futility. Choral Edition.
Staff Notation • Secular, Art songs
Preview
0
0
Subscribed as
Want Sunday picks sent to another address too?
Free weekly email
Your choir should not be left out in what's trending
Sunday mass selections, psalms, and trending songs in your area — straight to your inbox.
Futility. Choral Edition. by James Crawford — Lyrics
FUTILITYWilfred Owen
Move him into the sun
Gently its touch awoke him once,
At home, whispering of fields halfsown.
Always it woke him, even in France,
Until this morning and this snow.
If anything might rouse him now
Read full lyrics
About Futility. Choral Edition.
James Crawford's Futility for SATB voices offers a profound musical interpretation of Wilfred Owen's stark WWI poem. The composer uses the interplay of the four vocal parts to mirror the poignant, sometimes unsettling, nature of the text. The music captures the imagery of the sun's gentle awakening contrasted with the harsh reality of the battlefield and the snow. Crawford's setting grapples with the ultimate futility of life and the unanswered questions posed by the poem's conclusion, exploring the tragic irony of a life brought to an end despite its potential. The English text is rendered with sensitivity, making this a powerful addition to any secular choral programme.
