The Cloths of Heaven (Stroope) | Atlanta Master Chorale

[@SnazzySazerac98]

I once performed this piece in a choir organized left to right, soprano to bass. In that choir was a woman with whom I had an unrequited affection for. With her in Soprano 1 and I in Bass 2, she was directly across from me in the choir arch. Even with my eyes upon my score and the conductor, she was in my peripheral. The simultaneity of comfort, warmth, and pain during that performance is something I’ll never forget. The final verse was a fight between releasing sound and holding back tears. This piece is heart wrenchingly beautiful, and to this day, never fails to summon tears “Tread softly, you tread on my dreams” -W.B. Yeats

[@phyllisgarrison7450]

The words are from a poem by the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats, proclaiming his love - as he did many times - for Maud Gonne. His biographer reported that the poem “Cap and Bells” was the way to win a woman and “The Cloths of Heaven” was the way to lose her. It’s a truly beautiful poem, and this music is wonderful.

[@BaritoneIrishman]

Gorgeous. We did this every year at our high school graduation. It never sounded this nice. Don't get me wrong, our choir was very good for a high school choir, under the direction of the late Elizabeth Volk. But we were all a blubbery mess because the song is just so touching and we were all very sad to be saying goodbye to our seniors.

[@brandonjamar]

One of the most beautiful pieces ever written.

[@LuKasAV6]

What a superb performance! 1:34 - 2:20 I absolutely adore this section.

[@LangKatharine]

And, to think the composer was only in his 20's when he wrote this!

[@manonash]

Cut from a special cloth, that one!