Every composer has his or her own way of setting a text. Most of the time, I find a text, mull it over in my head for a while, develop a rough melodic rhythmic structure or devise a harmonic color based on the text, and the process continues from there. However, Twilight evolved from a single rhythmic pattern and harmonic color which came from improvising at the piano without a specific text in mind. My initial response to the motive was to find a text with a dreamy environment. After perusing several poems, I came across Twilight, written by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933). The text struck me instantly to be rich with the desired imagery. From that single idea emerged this elegant, transient song.
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