Shiloh, op. 60
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These four songs for tenor, horn, and piano are taken from the striking Battle Pieces of Herman Melville. Dramatic in nature, as befits the subject, they make considerable demands on all three performers. The first song, "Portents," deals with John Brown and the coming of the war; the turbulent "Misgivings" depicts the conflict itself; the third, "Malvern Hill," reflects the despair of the war's consequences; and the final, title song is like a reflective benediction. This cycle could possibly be sung by a lyric baritone as well. The general shape of Shiloh became the impetus for the later An American Requiem, for full orchestra and chorus.
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