Between the Lines: “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by Penny Rodriguez

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

Lilting music resembles a folk song from the British Isles in this happy setting of Yeats' text, inspired by memories of childhood summers spent in the Irish countryside. The 12-line poem expresses a city-dweller's longing for the simple, tranquil life of Innisfree. Includes proven part-singing strategies—the tune first appears in unison, then becomes a canon; a peaceful bridge passes the melody through lower voice parts, while others sing sweet counterlines; and a modulation leads to full triadic harmony.

Penny Rodriguez

Penny is a pianist, composer, and recording artist who began playing piano at the age of 6 in the jungles of Peru, where her parents served as missionaries. She earned a degree in piano performance from Moody/American Conservatory of Music. She lives in the Indianapolis area with her husband, Dave, where their biggest source of joy is spending time with their grandchildren. Learn more about Penny and see a full list of her Alfred Music publications here .

What inspired you to compose The Lake Isle of Innisfree?

Who among us has not wished we could get away by ourselves to a lakeside cabin and retreat from the noise of the world? I know that is often a dream of mine! When I discovered this poem by William Butler Yeats, I wanted to bring out the joy of doing something that bold but also to have a more restful section that captured his desire for a peaceful and simple existence. The last verse makes you realize that it is still an unrealized dream for the writer, but he is keeping that dream front and center until he can make it happen.

What teaching suggestions do you have to share for The Lake Isle of Innisfree ?

There are several different emotions that can be brought out in a performance of this piece. Joy … hope ... peacefulness ... resolve. An interesting way to begin might be to have a time of silence with a recording of crickets or a peaceful video of lake footage running behind the singers.

What message do you have for singers learning this piece?

Think about what it would be like to go back in time to an era when you could make a choice to separate yourself from society, live alone, and be self-sufficient. You'd need to learn how to grow your own crops, make your own honey and, yes, build your own cabin to live in! But the payoffs would be great—you'd be at peace with yourself and with nature.

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