Vocal(/Choral) Composition of the Day, Installment 11:
"She Gave Him All Her Heart"
for
Tenor or Baritone Solo (or SATB or TTBB Chorus) and Piano
(2000);
Text by Zallman Shneour in English Translation
Zallman Shneour's name is not very well known today. However, it was very well known to Yiddish and Hebrew speakers during the twentieth century; he was born in 1887 and died in 1959. You will find a concise biography of this significant Jewish writer by following the next link. https://www.ithl.org.il/writer/zalman-shneour/
The music of “She Gave Him All Her Heart” is composed in an unabashedly Neo-Romantic musical language and style to match the incredibly sensuous mood of the text.
TEXT
She had a very dainty hand
Which no one dared to touch
A pair of lips... fine scarlet
Fashioned only for a kiss.
Her cheeks were very rosy
Abiding golden splendor
And in those very rosy cheeks
Trembled ever a mysterious desire.
Thus in such a clear night
When shadows, like a thicket, enveloped her
Then she gave to him her heart,
She gave him all her heart.
In her black eyes were light and shadow joined
And above her brow there moved
The freshness of youth full of charm.
But the blonde moustache
Wiped away that youthful dew
And in simple laughter
Did the blonde moustache remove it.
Both held each other, held each other hand in hand
A shadow broke forth, sun had set
Then she gave to him her heart,
She gave him all her heart.
She had curls of chestnut
Which covered both her shoulders
And a chest white as marble.
The scent of summer and burning fire.
It was an evening, an evening so clear
Then they both walked silently
Through the small forest and through the vale
Then in the evening, then it was night
Softly did each shadow kiss;
Then she gave to him her heart,
She gave him all her heart.
The poem “She Gave Him All Her Heart” by Zalman Shneour is from "Poems and Poets of Israel", is used by permission of the Zalman Shneour Literary Trust, and is © Copyright 1967 by the Trustees of Boston University.
NB: The four editions listed in this article, which were all published by the BMI-affiliated division of ECS Publishing Group called Ione Press in 2006, may be sold only in the U.S.A.
Links to the four respective publisher's product pages follow each listing.
Tenor and Piano: ECS Publishing Group Catalog No. 6626;
https://www.ecspublishing.com/she-gave-him-all-her-heart-hoffman.html Baritone and Piano: ECS Publishing Group Catalog No. 6627;
SATB Chorus and piano: 6625:
TTBB Chorus and Piano: 6624:
The only live recording I have is for the version for SATB Chorus and Piano. Follow the next link to listen to a performance by the Philovox Ensemble, Jane Ring Frank, conductor, Scott Nicholas, pianist.
I also created a YouTube music video for this same rendition in 2013; follow the next link to view it. https://youtu.be/GIFQEhmM3Do
I just created synthesized scrolling score YouTube music videos of the other three versions to encourage live performances.
Follow the next link to view the one for TTBB Chorus and Piano. https://youtu.be/ryZcmaKxOR0
Follow the next link to view the one for Tenor and Piano.
Follow the next link to view the one for Baritone and Piano.
“She Gave Him All Her Heart” is a great choice for any love-themed concert or concert set. Yet, this passionate composition remains largely unknown in the vocal and choral music worlds. I hope that its fate will begin to change with this posting.
I hope you enjoy “She Gave Him All Her Heart”. Thank you for your time and attention.
Stanley M. Hoffman, PhD
Link to my website: https://www.stanleymhoffman.com
Biography Published in Grove Music Online (The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Oxford University Press)
The "Stanley M. Hoffman Special Collection" was established at The Berklee College of Music Library Archive in January 2025. It will take whatever time is necessary for the archive to catalog my collection and make it available to the public.
Website: https://archives.berklee.edu
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