Abstract
Elena Poletti's poem The Nightsingers was first set to music by the composer in 2015 as part of a work entitled Lullabies (Opus 182) for choir, soprano and organ.
The following year, the composer completed a second setting for unaccompanied choir. This version was for the Belgian choir Aquarius, to be recorded on a CD of contemporary lullabies entitled Douces Nuits (Jade CDs, LC8126, 2017).
This new version follows the rhythmic patterns and structure of the original but reinterprets the text with the use of different modes and harmonies.
Elena Poletti's poem The Nightsingers evokes the sounds of tree-frogs, ruru (the New Zealand morepork), and cats at night, as an accompaniment to a lullaby. The animal sounds are presented one by one and then are combined in the coda.
The Nightsingers is for 8-part unaccompanied choir of professional standard. It was composed for Aquarius, and is dedicated to its musical director Marc de Smet Michael.