Horizon: for Harlan, 10 Songs for Voice and Piano

Horizon is a cycle of ten song settings of poems by Harlan Payne. For a detailed discussion, see Dr. Michael Morey's article "Paul Sanchez’s Horizon: Our Journey back to the Stars."

​

For complete texts of the poems, click here.

​

"Here [in Horizon], beauty is everywhere. Take the stunningly hypnotic piano part of “Una Casa Nueva” (the text is in English despite the title). Sánchez himself finds full beauty here, melding the beauty of transition (commonly called death) with the sweetest nostalgia for life just passed. The sweet recitations of “Risk” offer an invitation to fully engage in life with a light touch; the piano swirls of “Horizon” intoxicate, but in a very different, perhaps more mystical, way than the Impressionists. There is sheer stillness inherent in the solo voice final song, “Listen”—infinitely memorable."

– Fanfare Magazine 

​

​

​

INSTRUMENTATION

​

Soprano and piano

​

DURATION

​

30 minutes

​

SONGS

​

I. Starlight

II. A New Day

III. Winter Evening Moonlight

IV. Una Casa Nueva

V. Spring

VI. Risk

VII. A Winter Farewell

VIII. Change

IX. Horizon

X. Listen

​

RECORDING

​

Magus Insipiens: 3 Song Cycles on Poems by Taliesin, Payne, and Sappho

​

DATE OF COMPOSITION

​

2012

​

In loving memory of Harlan Payne.