Sarah Quartel: The Parting Glass (SATB)
The Parting Glass is a traditional Scottish song, often sung as a farewell at the end of a get-together. Sarah Quartel’s arrangement features close harmonies, idiomatic Scotch snap rhythms, and effective interjectory moments in what is a largely homophonic setting. The arrangement was made for the composer’s friend Matt Jones, who served with the Canadian Military in Afghanistan in 2010-11; his deployment and eventual safe return inspired the setting of the piece. With its valedictory message, The Parting Glass would make a fitting end to a performance, perhaps as an encore item