The piece opens with a reflective line, where the choir gently describes the melting of winter—“The snow dissolved, no more is seen”—in soft, flowing phrases.

At measure 7, the music brightens as “fields and woods behold are green” (page 1) unfolds in smooth, coordinated homophony. The choral texture remains warm and accessible, allowing the vivid nature imagery to take center stage.

Page 2 brings a shift into more animated writing as the text observes seasonal change: “Rough winter’s blasts to spring give way… Spring yields to summer’s sovereign ray.” The music mirrors this progression with gentle forward motion and gracefully shaped melodic lines.

On page 3, the piece concludes with the reflective return of winter—“summer sinks in autumn’s rein, and winter holds the world again”—set in sustained harmonies that restore the calm, cyclical tone of the opening.

Rich yet accessible, this piece is ideal for concert programs that celebrate nature, renewal, literature, or the passage of time.

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Voices:

Tenor I, Tenor II, Bass I, Bass II