From the composer:

"No. 3 of "Three Nocturnes," Lullaby serves as a simple and beautiful song of reassurance, as a mother may sing to her child to stave off a fear of the darkness and solitude of night. The beauty of this text lies in its dual nature, as it also serves to comfort those who grieve over loss."

Source: https://www.danieleldermusic.com/music (accessed 26 Aug 2025)

About the Song:

Daniel Elder's "Lullaby" creates an ethereal soundscape through his minimalist approach to text and harmony. The piece uses sparse text—often just syllables or humming—allowing the human voice to function as pure instrument. Elder builds the work on slowly shifting harmonic progressions that create a sense of suspended time, using cluster chords and parallel motion to blur traditional harmonic function.

The composition requires exceptional breath control and dynamic sensitivity from singers, as Elder writes long, sustained phrases at pianissimo dynamics. He layers voices in overlapping entrances that create a continuous wash of sound, never allowing silence to fully settle. This technique demands precise intonation, as the close harmonies and dissonances only work when perfectly tuned. The difficulty lies not in complex rhythms or extreme ranges but in maintaining focus and blend throughout the extended, meditative passages.

Elder structures the piece as a gradual unfolding rather than traditional sections, with each new harmonic area emerging organically from the previous one. The vocal ranges stay moderate, but tessitura placement creates particular colors—altos and tenors often carry the harmonic foundation while sopranos float above with melodic fragments. The result is a work that functions more as sonic meditation than traditional choral piece, asking both performers and listeners to surrender to its hypnotic atmosphere.

About the composer:

https://www.danieleldermusic.com/about

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