About the Composer

Richard Henry Lee

Richard Henry Lee began his musical career with piano lessons, then instruction in harmony and counterpoint from his choir master, William Bracket, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, where he sang in the choir throughout his younger years. Dick Lee studied composition and orchestration with classical music composer, Ernest Toch.

As a Chimesmaster at Cornell University, Dick Lee composed more music for bells than Bach and Handel combined. For the Cornell Men's Glee Club he composed music that has been sung all over the world. "Strike Up a Song for Cornell" is one of the favorite songs of the Glee Club.

For nearly half a century, Dick Lee has been a Christian Science Practitioner. The words of hymns have great meaning for him. His church solos had been circulated privately and sung in churches for years. He composes inspirational solos so that the music would illumine the healing and uplifting meaning of the words. This is the true gift of his music.

When Dick and Laurie were married, Laurie discovered almost 400 unpublished music manuscripts. The music was so beautiful to her that she persuaded Dick to complete the music and share it with a wider audience. The result is the CD recording of "TRANSPARENCY IN SONG Vol l&ll" and its published Companion Book of Sheet Music.

Dick and Laurie Lee record on their own record label ForeverEndeavor Records and publish through ForeverEndeavor Publishing Company.

Letter from the Composer

The Scriptures indicate the condition "to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."(1) Music can have just that effect. We feel unselfed, lifted out of the physical, above our usual capacities. That is the gift I would like these songs to confer, complete with occasional goose bumps. I love the comment our tenor shared after completing this recording: "Making this recording was the greatest event in my life since the birth of my first child."

My expectation is that each song will lift musicians and listeners alike into that condition where "Man in the sunshine of the world's new spring, Shall walk transparent like some holy thing."(2)

These solos are duets with equal opportunities for both soloist and organist. Where the organist is instructed to accent the melody, for instance, the singer subdues the vocal line even while continuing to enunciate the words. At other times the two perform equally important melodies in counterpoint. Thus the fellowship is truly a duet of equals.

"TRANSPARENCY IN SONG Vol l&ll" is itself a continuing appeal to the spiritual in man with the assurance that this spirituality is already fully alive in each of us and responsive, capable of beauty beyond belief.

(1)1st Corinthians 5:8 (2)Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)

Laurie Lee, Producer, Editor

Laurie's entrepreneurial spirit, her love of Dick's music and poetry, and her willingness to go the distance, were just what the composer needed.

Laurie received a BA in History and Education from Penn State, and a Masters degree in History plus post graduate work from Columbia. She taught High School History to inner city kids while competing in long distance races on the east coast. Best Marathon: NYC- 3 hrs 38min, training with the Central Park Track Team.

When Laurie moved from New York City to Washington, DC, she had a brief stint as a Legislative Assistant in the US Senate; then became a Top Producer with Shannon&Luchs and Pardoe Real Estate.

Laurie sang in her high school chorus, in school musicals, in the Penn State Chapel Choir, and the New York Choral Society. Currently, Laurie is taking voice lessons with Rosa Lamoreaux, and flute lessons with Karen Johnson.
Laurie considers the publishing and recording of Dick Lee's music, and getting it out to the world, as one of her most cherished accomplishments.