Sarah Quartel - She Sang the Stars

SSAA and piano 

Sarah Quartel 

She Sang the Stars

Sarah Quartel 

She Sang the Stars 

for online perusal only 

SSAA and piano

Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, 

United Kingdom 

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. 

It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, 

and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of 

Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries 

This work © Oxford University Press 2024. Extracts from the Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by Keith Bosley, 

© 1989 Oxford University Press. Reproduced by permission. 

Sarah Quartel has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs 

and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the Composer of this Work 

First published 2024 

Impression: 1 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, 

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, 

without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press 

Permission to perform this work in public (except in the course of divine worship) 

should normally be obtained from a local performing right licensing organization, 

unless the owner or the occupier of the premises being used already holds 

a licence from such an organization. Likewise, permission to make and 

exploit a recording of these works should be obtained from a 

local mechanical copyright licensing organization 

Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above 

should be directed to the Music Rights Department, Oxford University Press, 

at music.permissions.uk@oup.com or at the address above 

ISBN 978–0–19–357308 – 6 

Music and text origination by Katie Johnston 

Printed in Great Britain on acid-free paper by 

Halstan & Co. Ltd, Amersham, Bucks. 

for online perusal only

Contents 

1. Start off Singing 5 

2. Water-Mother 9 

3. She Ran 22 

4. Stealing Fire 27 

5. Song of the Stars 40 

Composer’s note 

She Sang the Stars tells stories inspired by three women characters from the Finnish epic poem the Kalevala. 

In movement 1, ‘Start off Singing’, a storyteller sets the stage and prepares to share a tale that has long been 

hidden in the cold. Movement 2 tells the story of young Ilmatar, ‘Water-Mother’, who steps down from 

the sky to the sea and is impregnated by a tempest. She carries her child for centuries before giving birth. 

‘She Ran’, movement 3, follows Lempi as she relentlessly searches for her lost son. She tracks him as a wolf, 

swims through rivers as an otter, and even asks the trees if they have seen her ‘staff of silver’, her precious 

child. In movement 4, ‘Stealing Fire’, wise and powerful witch Louhi demonstrates her command of the 

elements and uses all magic available to her to seek justice against those who have wronged her. Often seen as 

the main villain of the Kalevala, here she is revered as a strong and powerful matriarch. The final movement, 

‘Song of the Stars’, is without text and honours the presence of the stars, particularly Ursa Major (Great Bear), 

referenced throughout the Kalevala. All-knowing and all-seeing, the stars shone well before these tales were 

told and will remain long after the story is done. 

While the seeds inspiring other works in my catalogue may be traced to a poem, event, or landscape, the 

heart of this work grew from the collaborative relationship developed with the commissioning ensemble. 

I dedicate this work, with warmest thanks, to Kerra Simmons, Artistic Director, and all the choristers in 

Singing Girls of Texas, 2022–2024. 

Let them sing. 


Duration: 14 mins

Commissioned by Singing Girls of Texas, Kerra Simmons, Artistic Director, 

to celebrate and empower all singers 

She Sang the Stars 

Echoes of Women from the Kalevala 

SARAH QUARTEL 

 

Extracts from the Kalevala 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Close immediately to the ng at the end of each iteration of the word ‘singing’. 

† Grace notes without lines through should be sung on the beat; those with lines should be sung before the beat. 

This work © Oxford University Press 2024. Extracts from the Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by Keith Bosley, © 1989 Oxford University Press. Reproduced by permission. 

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, MUSIC DEPARTMENT, GREAT CLARENDON STREET, OXFORD OX2 6DP 

The Moral Rights of the Composer have been asserted. Photocopying this copyright material is ILLEGAL.

6 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Close immediately to the n at the end of each iteration of the word ‘listen’.

7 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


8 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2. Water-Mother 

(Ilmatar—Youth) 

9 

Extracts from the Kalevala 

 

with additional words by Sarah Quartel, inspired by the Kalevala 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music © Oxford University Press 2024. Extracts from the Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by Keith Bosley, © 1989 Oxford University Press. Reproduced by permission. 

Photocopying this copyright material is ILLEGAL.

10 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


11 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


12 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13

14 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


15 

 


16 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


17 


18 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


19 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


20 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Close immediately to the m on each iteration of the words ‘swim’ and ‘swims’.

21 


22 

3. She Ran 

(Lempi—Warrior Mother) 

Extracts from the Kalevala, trans. W. F. Kirby, 

with additional words by Sarah Quartel, inspired by the Kalevala 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Oxford University Press 2024. Photocopying this copyright material is ILLEGAL.

23 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


24 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


25 


26 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


4. Stealing Fire 

(Louhi—Wise Woman) 

27 

Words by Sarah Quartel, inspired by the Kalevala 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


28 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


29 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


30 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


31 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Pronounce as the word ‘nun’, with an open vowel, but closing immediately to the final n.

32 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

33

34 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Pronounce as the word ‘nun’, with an open vowel, but closing immediately to the final n.

35 


36 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


37 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


38 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


39 


40 

5. Song of the Stars 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


41 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


42 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


43 


44 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


45 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


She Sang the Stars uses the lens of Elias Lönnrot’s Finnish epic, the Kalevala, to explore the 

stages of womanhood. With all texts in English translation, the work’s outer movements act as 

an introduction and conclusion, while the central movements profile three female characters 

from the Kalevala at different stages of life: Ilmatar (Youth), Lempi (Warrior Mother), and Louhi 

(Wise Woman). Quartel’s writing is rich in expression and rhythmic vivacity, with both voices 

and piano contributing to the evocative storytelling. 

Sarah Quartel is a Canadian composer and educator known for her fresh and exciting approach to choral 

music. She celebrates the musical potential of all learners by providing singers access to engaging repertoire 

and transformative musical experiences. Deeply inspired by the life-changing relationships that can occur while 

making choral music, Sarah writes in a way that connects singer to singer, ensemble to conductor, and performer 

to audience. Although she has been a full-time composer since 2017, Sarah chooses to remain connected to her 

past as a music educator and is a guest teacher in her hometown of London, Canada. Sarah continues to work as a 

clinician and conductor at music education and choral events at home and abroad. 

For more details about Sarah Quartel and her music, please contact Oxford University Press, Music Department. 

Cover image: © Beth Ruggiero-York/Shutterstock 

ISBN 978-0-19-357308-6 

www.oup.com 

9 780193 573086

Sarah Quartel - She Sang the Stars

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?