Corey Santelmann

I Had No Time To Hate

Emily Dickinson's poem proclaims that life is too short to waste on hatred and bitterness, and that people should live lives full of love. The musical setting provides powerful and colorful aural support to the poem. The title is startling, and the music begins with the same attitude. Santelmann uses choral statements to unravel the poem, sometimes homophonically, sometimes in contrapuntally. He uses dissonance artistically to accent words, both harsh and pleasant. This is a thoughtful selection appropriate for advanced high school and college choirs.