Half Turn to Go Yet Turning Stay (2012)

The title for this work came from a single line of the Christina Rossetti poem listed below. That one image – a woman with her lover moving to leave, yet remaining still – struck me as being particularly poignant within the rather dark tone of the sonnet as a whole. The music reflects that sort of nostalgia in the accompanied cello solo of the opening, while the idea of turning away and turning back develops into the swirling chaos and disjointed sliding of later sections.

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.