Come to Me - Ivo Antognini

Come to Me by Ivo Antognini
Text by Christina Rossetti
Conducted by Mr Nelson Kwei
Singapore Choral Artists
SCA Gala Concert 2024
14th April 2024
SOTA Concert Hall, Singapore
Ivo Antognini's choral piece "Come to Me" brings to life Christina Rossetti's poignant verses. Known for his rich harmonies, Antognini weaves intricate textures, creating an emotional tapestry that complements Rossetti's themes of love and loss. The music, marked by dynamic shifts and collective vocal expressions, enhances the poem's introspective nature which expresses the poet’s need to be comforted by memories of a precious loved one who has passed away, to feel that they are once again alive in any way or form.
The song ultimately arrives as emotional closure as Antognini’s melodic and harmonic themes wrap snugly around Rossetti’s poetic themes of grief and longing amidst the finality of life - letting go of
a loved one to a better place “brimful of love”, yet clinging on to memories too dear and bittersweet.