Words

This page contains various pieces that I have either written or collected in recent years.

On Composing

Here are a few thoughts I have picked up over the years that say something about my philosophy and approach to composing music:

“The chief responsibility of the artist is to remind his fellow humans how beautiful life is. Otherwise, they tend to forget.” – Gabriel Faure

“What I have in my heart must come out; that is the reason why I compose.” – Ludwig van Beethoven

“I myself having been created, I cannot help having the desire to create.”- Igor Stravinsky

“You must do something to make the world more beautiful.” – Barbara Cooney, from Miss Rumphius

“To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist.” – Robert Schumann

“Soli deo gloria” – Johann Sebastian Bach would write the initials SDG (Glory to God alone) at the end of a completed score.

“Inspiration may be a form of super-consciousness, or perhaps of sub-consciousness. I wouldn’t know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self-consciousness.” – Aaron Copland

“The artist is not a person endowed with free will who seeks his own ends, but one who allows art to realize its purposes through him.” – Carl Gustave Jung

“Works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.- Claude Debussy

“I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.” – J. S. Bach

“I sit down to the piano regularly at nine-o\’clock in the morning and Mesdames les Muses have learned to be on time for that rendezvous.” – Pyotr Tchaikovsky

An anecdote about Paul Hindemith: “A student at one of his Tanglewood seminars asked him ‘What’s your inspiration?’ Hindemith wordlessly replied by raising his pencil in his hand, indicating that the juices commence flowing in the physical act of setting down notes on paper.” – David Owens

“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E.L. Doctorow

I also like this thought: “We must find the silence within us in order to hear the musc.” – from the film Copying Beethoven

The philosophy of working that I strive for: Just sit there and see what happens.

Henri Matisse On Creation

Recently I ran across a wonderful quote by the artist Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954). After some searching around I found more; they constitute terrific advice for creative artists, in whatever field. They are from his book Jazz, published in 1947. Take them to heart! “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working.” “One gets into a state of creativity by conscious work.” “Work cures everything.” “A large part of the beauty of a picture arises from the struggle which an artist wages with his limited medium.” “I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it.” “In most cases success equals prison… An artist should never be: prisoner of himself, prisoner of a manner, prisoner of a reputation, prisoner of success.” “A young painter who cannot liberate himself from the influence of past generations is digging his own grave.” “There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so, he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.” “The effort to see things without distortion takes something like courage and this courage is essential to the artist, who has to look at everything as though he saw it for the first time.” “Each work of art is a collection of signs invented during the picture\s execution to suit the needs of their position. Taken out of the composition for which they were created, these signs have no further use.” “You study, you learn, but you guard the original naivete. It has to be within you, as desire for drink is within the drunkard or love is within the lover.” “Fit the parts together, one into the other, and build your figure like a carpenter builds a house. Everything must be constructed, composed of parts that make a whole.” “The effort to see things without distortion takes something like courage and this courage is essential to the artist, who has to look at everything as though he saw it for the first time.” “An artist is an explorer. He has to begin by self-discovery and by observation of his own procedure. After that he must not feel under any constraint.” “Composition is the art of arranging in a decorative manner the various elements at the painter’s disposal for the expression of his feelings.” “A musician once said: In art, truth and reality begin when one no longer understands what one is doing or what one knows, and when there remains an energy that is all the stronger for being constrained, controlled and compressed.” “It is therefore necessary to present oneself with the greatest humility: white, pure and candid with a mind as if empty, in a spiritual state analogous to that of a communicant approaching the Lord’s Table. Obviously it is necessary to have all of one’s experience behind one, but to preserve the freshness of one’s instincts.”

Varese & Feldman: What did I learn?

I studied with Morton Feldman at SUNY Buffalo (1975 – 77) as the first holder of the Edgard Varese Fellowship in composition. I’m sure that Feldman named the fellowship himself, and know that he regarded Varese very highly. How can I express the essence of what I learned in those years? A few years ago I came across this passage by Paul Griffiths in the program notes for the CD Boulez Conducts Varese (on the Deutsche Grammophon label). Griffiths sums it up beautifully:
“After the explosion of Ameriques Varese honed his technique in pieces for smaller groupings – Hyperprism, Octandre, Integrales – before returning to the large orchestra to create Arcana (1925-27). This was a closer approach to his ideal of music in which the sounds themselves, by virtue of their force and energy, would create structural demands – for repetition, calming, change, recollection – quite independently of any pre-ordained scheme: music as a play of sheer, vital sonority.

Do you know what sea smoke is?

On very cold mornings we see sea smoke in the bay. It’s a thin layer of condensed water vapor right above the surface of the water. Sea smoke is caused by very cold air coming in over warmer water (the thermometer must be reading close to 0 degrees Fahrenheit). The evaporating water molecules condense as they enter the colder air. Sea smoke is quite wispy and incredibly beautiful. As it is often windy here, we enjoy seeing the sea smoke being blown across the bay. Recently I observed two crows sitting in their favorite tree down by the water. Like me, they sat and watched. A short work for piano was the result. Strangely enough it is titled “Two Crows in a Tree Watching Sea Smoke.

What color is the water today?

Our house overlooks a bay in Maine. This morning I asked “What color is the water today” and answered myself: “Slate gray.” Linda added “With an undertone of cornflower blue crayon… and putty.” This really struck me, as it came from a person who makes fun of the descriptions of wines. But a very discerning person. The water is indeed a different color each day. And each day is different from the last. Gives you something to look forward to and to appreciate.

Epiphany: Revealing the Light

Epiphany is a very appropriate religious season for the northern latitudes. It celebrates the revealing of the light of Christ. Yes, with the visit of the magi and the baptism of Jesus by Simeon: the revelation of the “light to enlighten the nations.” (We haven’t gotten it yet.) During this season we also celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John, the beginning of his mission, with the voice of God and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove; and the Transfiguration, where it is revealed to several disciples who Jesus is. (We haven’t gotten this yet, either.) In our part of the world the days are beginning to get noticeably longer (yes, even as the cold get stronger). The darkness begins to part. There is hope.Regardless of your religious tradition or inclination, this is a time to celebrate the light that shines through all creation. Realize the light within you. Then, in the words of my brother Roger, “let us be the instrument that God needs to change the lives of others around us. Let’s equip ourselves to be His people where we are and thereby fulfill the purpose for which He gave us life in the very beginning. Below is a short chant that I composed some years ago. It is included in my collection, Devotional Chants and Mantras. Click here to listen. Light of heaven, pure and indestructible, beyond arising and ceasing. Give us your blessing. Purify, transform, awaken us. Shine through our words, deeds and thoughts, That we may give blessings to others.

The And by Penny Guisinger

My new cello teacher is a piano player, but I don’t care because I believe that, on some level, he can unlock the cello’s secrets anyway. I have taken lessons from cello players, but I find that I don’t speak their language — like trying to learn Spanish from someone who doesn’t speak any English. That takes a focused immersion that I frankly don’t have time for. He agrees to take me on as a student, but seems skeptical. He listens to me play “Southwind,” and notes that, in some measures, my rhythm is off. He tells me to play it the way I think it’s supposed to really sound, and I don’t know what he means. He uses a sharp pencil to point to the notes he’s talking about, and counts, “One, two and three and four.” I sigh. “I don’t understand that whole and thing.” He stops the lesson to explain. The and is the space between the beats. The and holds time and rhythm and music in its three letters. The and is everything. The and is the lifespan of sound. And he spends an hour teaching me how to count to four.

This piece is from Penny’s wonderful book Postcards from Here and is used with permission. I encourage you to explore this beautiful and moving collection of vignettes about life in down east Maine. For more information or to purchase it follow this link: http://www.vineleavespress.com/postcards-from-here-by-penny-guisinger.html

Children of the Light – Program Notes

‘The concept and even the title for Children of the Light came to me at some point in the late 1990s. I remember one morning walking into the office building where I worked, and having the idea pop into my head. An idea for the future… What inspired me to finally begin work on it was a conversation over lunch in 2013 with my friend William Hawley, one of the truly remarkable American composers of choral music. I began recalling and discussing the idea; I believe that he said to me “why don’t you just do it?” I began in December of that year to research and collect possible texts. I had meant to use a few biblical passages, as well as writings from other traditions. There were so many beautiful and inspirational texts to choose from, but when you truly get serious you begin to make difficult choices. I also began to realize that I would have to write some of the texts, to communicate more directly the messages intended. The thematic and musical structure of the work began to take shape and led the way. By January I had come up with the movements and their order, and composed the first chorus. The choice of text was very natural decision: why not start at the beginning, with Genesis 1? In terms of the accompaniment, I decided quickly that the focus should be on the chorus and soloists. I decided (for now) not to set the work for orchestra, but for piano (four hands), which perhaps makes it approachable for a wider range of choral groups. The instrument can achieve a wonderful fullness and richness of texture, which this work at times requires, with two players. If only one player were used the accompaniment might tend to become too “pianistic,” in the attempt to complement and support the chorus adequately. One may notice, however, that often the piano textures are quite sparse. The brief introduction, a setting of “Then God said: let there be light…” leads directly to a chorus of praise: Light, Eternal Light. The words, which I wrote, set the rhythm of this movement: “Light, eternal light, you shine through all creation… O blessed, infinite light… light of life: in you all beings are one…. you are the beacon that shows us the way out of darkness.” The movement ends appropriately enough with a Gloria (“glory, glory, gloria!”). The text of movement III, In Your Light, is an excerpt from Psalm 36. The chorus provides an simple chordal ostinato repeating the Hebrew words “Adonai beh aur ka nor eh aur” (Lord of all, in your light we see light). Over this the baritone soloist chants a beautiful passage that praises the loving-kindness, faithfulness, righteousness, justice and steadfast love of God. The next movement, My Nature is Fire, for soprano solo, uses an English translation of a prayer of the mystic St. Catherine of Siena (1347 – 1380). Suzanne Noffke OP, a noted scholar and, like Catherine, a Dominican sister, generously granted me permission to use her translation of this prayer. A summary: “In your nature, eternal Godhead, I shall come to know my own nature. And what is my nature?… It is fire!… For you are nothing but a fire of love… And you have given humankind a share in this nature… O ungrateful people!… are you not ashamed to cut yourself off from such a noble thing?… O eternal Trinity, my sweet love!… give us light… give us wisdom… strengthen us… let our cloud be dissipated… that we may perfectly know and follow your truth.” For me this is perhaps the most powerful text in the work, in terms of Catherine\’s personal theology and sentiments. As imperfectly as we may understand them, words matter. For the text of the following movement, Hear, O People, I was inspired by the prophet Isaiah: “Hear, O people!… Open you ears… open you eyes… you are all children of the light.” Then the admonition: “chase not after your false gods… honor all your sisters and brothers, for you are all one in the light.” It is only natural that the people should ask for mercy and guidance. Movement VI is my elaboration on the traditional Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy). “O Lord, show us your compassion, for we wander in darkness, blinded by illusion, lost in our pride, in our desires, our fears… enslaved by racing minds that grasp mindlessly… Guide us, O Lord, from the darkness of our ignorance into the light…” Light of Heaven (movement VII) is based upon a mantra that I composed in 1996. It grew out my interest in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The text is my very free elaboration on what is known as the “vajra guru” mantra. I composed a version of this movement for a high school choir in western Massachusetts, where I then lived. “Light of heaven, pure and indestructible, beyond arising and ceasing, give us thy blessings, purify, transform, awaken us. Shine through our words, deeds and thoughts, that we may give blessings to others.” It was probably meant to be part of the larger work all along. And now we are exhorted by the powerful words from the prophet Isaiah: “Arise, shine, for your light has come!… darkness covers the land… but over you the Lord will rise… nations will stream to your light… your gates will always be open… violence will no more be heard in your land… the sun will no more be your light by day…” My intent is that this passage, addressed to the people of Israel some twenty six centuries ago, be interpreted as a song of aspiration and transformation for all the peoples of the world. The final movement is a reprise of Light, Eternal Light. Sometimes it pays to hear again and repeat what we may have learned. To conclude the Gloria and the work as a whole I added in final words: “Deo Gratias, Thanks be to God!”‘

What is a digital demo “performance”?

It’s an audio realization of a work without the use of live musicians. It’s done, obviously, on a computer using notation software, sequencing/audio

production software and what are called “sample libraries” (these use recorded live instrumental sounds that are turned into digital files that one can then work with).

It is becoming more and more common for composers to turn to such techniques in order to obtain a decent sample for sending out to potential performers or for submitting to competitions. By the way, much of the music that you hear at the movies or on television is now realized digitally. It is much cheaper than hiring live musicians to perform, say, the background music to a nature program.

In 2013 composed and completed a digital demo performance of a one-movement work for orchestra, titled Samsara Breakdown. The effort was quite time-consuming and full of learning opportunities. One could even call it an exercise in obsessive-compulsive behavior. I tried something new. First, I completed the four stave piano reduction score. Then I input that into Finale (the notation software that I normally use). In the Finale software I used the full orchestra template, but inserted an additional 4 staves for the piano “short score” reduction that I had completed. Honestly, during the composition of the piece (I still use staff paper to write my music) I had not thought much about the details of the orchestration, except for opening violin melody, the brass fragments and a few wind licks. After completing the piano reduction staves I then used copy and paste to fill out the instrumental parts. This worked well for me, I think; it helped me to focus on the details of the orchestration.

Then I saved the Finale file as a MIDI file and imported it into Digital Performer (my sequencing software), then went to work on editing and fine tuning each instrumental part (e.g. expression, dynamics, phrasing). Most importantly I worked with the Conductor track to create realistic tempo variations and changes such as ritardando and accelerando. I used Garritan Personal Orchestra sample software for the orchestral sounds and had great fun testing and choosing the GPO “instruments.” Actually, listening so intensely to the piece helped me to make decisions on a number of orchestration issues (percussion, flute doublings, some string registers), and I often worked back and forth between the score and DP.

I rather enjoyed the process, as it called upon my experience as a performer to create a realistic-sounding “performance.” This was my first attempt at such a big production project, and I learned a great deal from members of the Garritan online forum. The following year I created a video utilizing my realization. Here is the link to the final result, posted on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6prGn0mj-aM

Reflections on SummerKeys

SummerKeys is a music program for adult students, located in Lubec, Maine. Since 2011 I have had the privilege to serve on the faculty as piano teacher, coach and accompanist. What an experience! Students come from all over the country (and from abroad as well) to study and practice intensively for a week or more.

SummerKeys was founded and is directed by Bruce Potterton, who began it in 1992 as a program primarily for piano students. Since then its scope has expanded quite a bit. Programs are offered for string and wind instruments, voice, composition, guitar and celtic harp. Program details are at Summerkeys.com.

The level of SummerKeys students ranges from beginner to advanced. No audition is necessary, and students of all levels are welcomed and valued. Bruce has put together an incredible faculty of top notch musicians who are dedicated to teaching. They do a wonderful job of identifying each student\’s needs and presenting ideas and techniques that students can work on in their studies during the year.

All SummerKeys students bring a love of music and a high level of motivation. It is quite inspiring and gratifying to work with them. Each week it was great fun to meet and work with students of an incredible variety of backgrounds and experiences. New students should come prepared for an intense week of lessons, practice and music making. Some returning students now spend more than a week in Lubec so that they can enjoy the local sights and other activities like hiking, whale watching, relaxing by the bay. Also, I have discovered that students form quick bonds with each other. Quite a few return year after year to be with the friends they have made at SummerKeys.

A piece of advice to students: set reasonable goals as to what you would like to accomplish during the week.The closing Friday night performance class (we do not call it a recital) is always very inspiring for me. By the way, the audience (your peers – not open to the public) is always incredibly supportive. Everyone is in the same boat! Some students are performing for the first time ever. Playing a solo in the performance class is not required, but I found that it is a good opportunity to try out what one has learned during the week. The faculty concert on each Wednesday evening is another highlight of the week. I have had a wonderful time performing each year with incredibly talented fellow faculty members.