Chamber Music Piano,
Trombone, Voice
SKU:
PR.111402650
A
Song Cycle for Baritone
(or Mezzo-soprano),
Trombone, and Piano.
Composed by Eric Ewazen.
Set of Score and Parts.
With Standard notation.
52+16 pages. Duration 24
minutes. Theodore Presser
Company #111-40265.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.111402650).
UPC:
680160643516. Text: Lorna
Goodison. Lorna
Goodison.
Angel of
Dreamers is a song cycle
for bass-baritone (or
mezzo-soprano) singer,
trombone, and either
string orchestra, string
quintet, or piano. It is
based on the
extraordinary poetry of
the Jamaican-American
poet, Lorna Goodison,
whom I have had the great
pleasure of getting to
know in the course of
writing this piece. The
work was commissioned by
a friend from my
undergraduate college
years at The Eastman
School of Music, Maury
Okun, trombonist and
director of the Detroit
Chamber Winds And
Strings. The work was
premiered in 2011 by
bass-baritone Daniel
Washington, trombonist
and U. of Michigan
faculty member David
Jackson, and the string
section of the Detroit
Chamber Winds and
Strings. Daniel and David
gave the second
performance of the work
with Lorna Goodison and
Maury Okun in attendance
at The Juilliard School
the following year. I was
approached by Maury Okun
and David Jackson to
write this piece as a
tribute to Maury's father
who had recently passed
away. They also
introduced me to their
colleague and friend
Lorna Goodison,
suggesting her poetry.
Reading several volumes
of her work, I was
absolutely captivated by
the vivid imagery and
beautiful messages of her
words. I chose five of
the poems, forming a
cycle about life and
death and home and
parents. Lorna is
originally from Jamaica,
and the rich, vivid
imagery, language and
story lines of her poems
beautifully reflect her
roots. The work, in the
tradition of Brahms'
songs for voice, viola,
and piano, features a
singer with an obligato
lyric instrumental line,
which, in my piece, is
the trombone, an
instrument that blends so
beautifully with the
sound of a bass singer.
The first song, O Love
You So Fear the Dark is
hopeful and uplifting,
describing enduring love
throughout the twists and
turns of our lives. The
music is strong and
declamatory, but also
tender. The second song,
God A Me actually
portrays a fish in
Jamaica which is almost
amphibious, flying up out
of the water onto the
land, and somehow,
magically, returning to
the water! For me this
poem depicts the
enjoyment of seeing parts
of life that are fun and
enjoyable and almost
magical! The third song,
All Souls Day depicts a
holiday, somewhat
magical, but also full of
life and energy. The
final two songs are a
tribute to our parents --
My Mother's Sea Chanty,
recalling a dream of
seeing one's mother, with
lyrics of tender love and
remembrance, and finally,
This is my Father's
Country which is a
tribute to the life of a
loving father, recalling
his spirit, his love of
the music Harry
Belafonte, and his
enduring spirit. Angel of
Dreamers was a special
piece for me to write:
for and with friends, old
and new, collaborating
with a poet whose
beautiful, meaningful,
and touching words were
so inspiring, performed
by fantastic musicians
who poured themselves
into the music, and
commissioned by a dear
friend from years gone
by. THIS is why we write
and perform music!.