Over the Fence

"Over the Fence" is a song by Lori Laitman from her song cycle Days and Nights. "Over the Fence" sets a poem by Emily Dickinson.

The composer's note and the audio for "Over the Fence" are made possible through a collaboration between the Hampsong Foundation and SongFest. The performers are Kristina Bachrach, soprano, and Eunkyung Lee, piano, and this performance took place at Pepperdine University at SongFest 2010.

Date: 1995Composer: Lori LaitmanText: Emily DickinsonSong Collection: Days and Nights

Print vitals & song text

Composer's Note

“Reflecting the youthful playfulness of its text, ‘Over the Fence’ has an off-balance humor achieved through the piano’s skipping, repetitive triplets and lighthearted, melodramatic vocal line. The piano grows more intricate in the middle section – employing hand crossing techniques reminiscent of Rameau’s keyboard style – while the voice warbles above, attempting to capture the marvelous imagery of God, as a boy, jumping over the fence to eat berries.”

–Lori Laitman

Text

Over the fence — (poem 251)
by Emily Dickinson

Over the fence —
Strawberries — grow —
Over the fence —
I could climb — if I tried, I know —
Berries are nice!

But — if I stained my Apron —
God would certainly scold!
Oh, dear, — I guess if He were a Boy —
He’d — climb — if He could!

Related Information

Audio

Track:

    Sheet Music

    Days and Nights

    Composer(s): Lori Laitman

    Song(s): 1. Along With Me
    2. They Might Not Need Me
    3. The Night has a Thousand Eyes
    4. Over the Fence
    5. Song
    6. Wild Nights

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