National Poetry Month Spotlight: John Donne and Emily Dickinson

Blue Lake Public Radio | By Foley Schuler

Published April 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM EDT

Thursday afternoon Foley features "Harmonium," John Adams choral setting of poems by Donne and Dickinson.

Harmonium helped launch John Adams to the front rank of contemporary composers upon its premiere by the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus in 1981. The work is in three parts, the first of which is a setting for chorus and orchestra of the poem "Negative Love," by the 17th Century Metaphysical poet, John Donne, and the final two are settings of the poems "Because I could not stop for Death" and "Wild Nights" by the great American poet, Emily Dickinson.

You can hear Foley Schuler's musical selections—and stories behind the music—every weekday afternoon from 1 until 5 on Blue Lake Public Radio.

Foley Schuler

Encouraged by creative parents, Foley began his music career at age 7, studying violin with Jean Manning at North Muskegon Public Schools. As a Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp camper, he became Blue Lake Public Radio’s first high school intern. Foley earned an English Literature degree from Hope College, and Masters in Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from the Warren Wilson College. He has performed with the West Michigan (formerly West Shore) Symphony; served on the English Department faculty at Muskegon Community College, and been the Music, Art & Theatre reviewer for the Muskegon Chronicle. He follows his love of the arts around the globe, but says, “There is no place like the Blue Lake setting, sharing extraordinary music with our listeners.” Foley hosts Blue Lake Public Radio’s weekday classical music from 1 to 5 p.m. and “Sunday on Blue Lake”.

See stories by Foley Schuler