The Apple Orchard - Lori Laitman Song with Animation

The Apple Orchard
Music by Lori Laitman
Poem by Dana Gioia
Illustrations by Ian Beck
Daniel Norman - tenor
Simon Lepper - piano
Lori says of the project:
"The Apple Orchard was composed in 2004 when I discovered Dana Gioia's beautiful poem. Its evocative story and exquisite language, particularly the phrase “spring’s ephemeral cathedral," drew me in. I dedicated the song to my father-in-law, Dr. Gershen Rosenblum, as an 80th birthday gift.
During the pandemic, I teamed with Dan Norman and Positive Note Films, and this is our second release. Dan and pianist Simon Lepper’s extraordinary rendition of the song blend with famed illustrator Ian Beck’s beautiful custom watercolors. This merging of visual art with music and poetry is a new way of presenting artsong."
For more about Lori Laitman: artsongs.com/
For more about Positive Note films: www.positiveno...
For more about Dana Gioia: danagioia.com
The Apple Orchard

Poem by Dana Gioia (1950 - ). “The Apple Orchard" © 2003 by Dana Gioia. First published in The Hudson Review (Spring 2003 issue). Reprinted in Gioia’s collection Pity the Beautiful (2012). Used by permission of the poet.
You won’t remember it-the apple orchard
We wandered through one April afternoon,
Climbing the hill behind the empty farm.
A city boy, I’d never seen a grove
Burst in full flower or breathed the bittersweet
Perfume of blossoms mingled with the dust.
A quarter mile of trees in fragrant rows
Arching above us. We walked the aisle,
Alone in spring’s ephemeral cathedral.
We had the luck, if you can call it that,
Of having been in love but never lovers-
The bright flame burning, fed by pure desire.
Nothing consumed, such secrets brought to light!
There was a moment when I stood behind you,
Reached out to spin you toward me...but I stopped.
What more could I have wanted from that day?
Everything, of course. Perhaps that was the point-
To learn that what we will not grasp is lost.

[@TroySchnack-ym1pj]

What a beautiful performance. What a message for us all!

[@HugoTugman]

BRAVO!!!!!

[@earlineahonima4867]

Extraordinary. Transcendent. Thank you, Mr. Gioia, Ms. Laitman, and thank you, Dan.

[@martamezzo]

Beautiful Dan, so moving. X

[@ChinweDJohn]

Absolutely beautiful performances, song and animation! Thank you.

[@SusannahClasen]

Thank you for alerting me to this, Dan ....

[@danagioia9261]

I find Daniel Norman and Simon Lepper's performance astonishing its gentle beauty.

[@thomashemminger4401]

This is a gorgeous setting! I was absolutely transported! It reminded me of some of the Gerald Finzi settings of Thomas Hardy's poetry. Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this gift to us all.

[@finchenkomaria9032]

Gorgeous. So evocative. Bravo.

[@CarolynViolin]

Absolutely beautiful performance!