LA Perspectives (2011)
1. Case Study House #22 (1960, Los Angeles)
2. Case Study House #9/Entenza House (1950, Pacific Palisades)
3. Chuey House (1958, Los Angeles)
4. Singleton House (1960, Los Angeles)
texts: John Muir, Minnie Aumonier, Theodore Roosevelt, Baba Dioum
baritone, piano
7:00
LA Perspectives is inspired by the work of photographer and environmentalist Julius Shulman whose work defiined Los Angeles modern architecture by emphasizing the city and its context within the natural landscape. Each movement is based on a Shulman photograph and paired with a prose "snapshot" based on quotations about the environment from various writers.
LA Perspectives was commissioned by the Connections Chamber Music Series and premiered May 21, 2011 by baritone James Martin Schaefer and pianist Vicki Ray at the Encinitas Library in Encinitas, CA.
Premiere
James Martin Schaefer, baritone
Vicki Ray, piano
Connections Chamber Music Series
Encinitas Library
Encinitas, CA
May 21, 2011
Three Spanish Songs (2005)
1. Olas grises
2. Nocturno
3. Sueño despierto
sop; pno
text: Leopoldo Lugones, Ruben Darío, Jose Martí
15:00
This cycle is based on contrasting poems by Latin-American poets Leopoldo Lugones, Rubén Darío, and Jose Martí. It was the use of vivid imagery that drew me to all three poems and why I chose to write for soprano and harp. Throughout the cycle, I use evocative harp techniques to depict these dramatic images. Together with the soprano, the contrasting personalities of the duet portray the overall themes of the poems. Olas Grises, a poem that meditates on the nature of life and death, is set as a lyrical, quasi-strophic song. Nocturno is a frantic soliloquy set as a surreal recitative and aria. Sueño Despierto is a short poem about a waking dream. The song is a set of variations on the popular Latin-American lullaby Nanita nana.
Premiere (of 1. Olas grises and 2. Nocturno)
Annie Rosen, mezzo-soprano
Leann Osterkamp, piano
New York Festival of Song Bright Sheng and Friends
Opera America's National Opera Center
New York, NY
USA
Feb 17, 2015
Three Spanish Songs (2005)
1. Olas grises
2. Nocturno
3. Sueño despierto
1/1/1/1,1/1/1,2Perc.,Sop.,Pno
texts: Leopoldo Lugones, Rubén Darío, and José Martí
15:00
This cycle is a setting of three contrasting poems by Latin-American poets Leopoldo Lugones, Rubén Darío, and José Martí. Olas grisesuses evocative rain and sea imagery to meditate on the nature of life and death. Set as a lyrical, quasi-strophic song, these images are portrayed through the opening percussion rain drop motive and the moaning vocal line used throughout the movement. Nocturno is a frantic soliloquy set as an extended opera scene. The piano and percussion accompany the soprano in the opening recitative which is followed by a surreal aria accompanied by the rest of the ensemble. This is followed by a re-statement of both sections. Sueño despiertois a short poem about the contrasting images of a waking dream. Based on a fragment of the lullaby Nanita nana, heard in its entirety at the opening, the song is a set of three variations, followed by a coda, which portray these various images.
Premiere
Caroline Helton, soprano
University of Michigan Symphony Band, Michael Haithcock conductor
Hill Auditorium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
USA
December 12, 2005
Three Spanish Songs (2004)
1. Olas grises
2. Nocturno
3. Sueño despierto
sop., hp.
texts: Leopoldo Lugones, Ruben Darío, and José Martí
13:00
This cycle is based on contrasting poems by Latin-American poets Leopoldo Lugones, Rubén Darío, and Jose Martí. It was the use of vivid imagery that drew me to all three poems and why I chose to write for soprano and harp. Throughout the cycle, I use evocative harp techniques to depict these dramatic images. Together with the soprano, the contrasting personalities of the duet portray the overall themes of the poems. Olas Grises, a poem that meditates on the nature of life and death, is set as a lyrical, quasi-strophic song. Nocturno is a frantic soliloquy set as a surreal recitative and aria. Sueño Despierto is a short poem about a waking dream. The song is a set of variations on the popular Latin-American lullaby Nanita nana.
Premiere
Jennifer Goltz, soprano and Amy Ley, harp
Kerrytown Concerthouse, Ann Arbor, MI
USA
October 29, 2004
