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.

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" became the signature song for the Cornell Glee Club concert. Dick Lee studied composition and orchestration with classical music composer, Ernest Toch.

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.

In 1995 Dick and Laurie were married. Upon returning from their honeymoon, Laurie discovered almost 400 unpublished music manuscripts.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 is currently composing 2 new CDs and Companion Books of sheet music that will include, by popular demand, lyrics from his poetry.

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 Steve 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

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. At 9 years old she sold the most Girl Scout cookies on the North Shore of Long Island. She graduated from High School with a Ten-Year Perfect Attendance Award, and received an All-Around Girls' Athletic Award.

At Columbia University, Laurie received a Masters Degree in History plus 42 credits towards a Ph. D. As a High School History teacher, Laurie got inner city kids to do homework, discuss politics, write grammatically correct historical essays, and drive seniors to polling places on Election Day.

Laurie competed in long distance races on the east coast: best Marathon was NYC - 3hrs 38min. She trained as a member of the Central Park Track Team.

Laurie had a brief stint as a Legislative Assistant working on the Senate Housing Subcommittee. She wrote a Housing Bill that put more renovation money into saving old buildings in New York City. Her bill was substituted for part of the HUD bill. But where she really excelled was in her Real Estate Career, becoming the #1 First Year Agent in a company of 3000+ agents; and she continued being one of the top agents throughout her Real Estate Career.

As an active church member, Laurie taught Sunday School, served as 2nd Reader, and was Chairman of the Music Committee.

Laurie got her love of music from her mother who had her four children sing in harmony while on long car rides. Laurie sang in her high school chorus, in school musicals, in the Penn State Chapel Choir, and the New York Choral Society; she also plays several musical instruments.

Laurie considers the publishing and recording of Dick Lee's music as her favorite and most cherished accomplishment.