Blizzard

Barbara Rosen’s Blizzard is a striking secular canon for ten equal voices, setting an English text that vividly captures the intensity of a sudden snowstorm. The composer uses the repetitive, interlocking nature of canon to mirror the relentless, cascading descent of snow. The lyrics draw a compelling parallel between the physical blizzard and the falling Chinese characters on a newspaper, both described as falling steadily. This piece conjures the sensory experience of a freezing train platform, offering a powerful, atmospheric musical image of winter's force. It is an excellent choice for choirs looking to explore the dramatic potential of canonic writing and evocative contemporary text-setting.