God's Green Earth
Ensemble
High Voice (Soprano or Tenor), B-flat Bass Saxophone, Percussion (Marimba, Snare Drum, Triangle), and Piano Duo
Duration
Approx. 10 minutes
Recordings
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Score
Notes
When words seem impossible, I often seek solace in the poetic embrace of Noelle Kocot's writing. Her profoundly comforting poem, "God's Green Earth," discovered me during a tumultuous storm of grief. To capture this sentiment, I crafted the music to evoke the sensation of a tender, all-encompassing hug. The enveloping sound of two pianos, hollow marimba rolls, and the warm timbre of the bass saxophone cradle the singer's plaintive melodies, echoing my emotions during the composition process. By sharing this piece, I invite you to join me in exploring the complex and transformative cycle of grief as it resonates through poetry and sound.
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Text
by Noelle Kocot
God’s Green Earth
My kinsfolk, I am sorry for my pride.
Are any of us exempt from a bumpy
Road? The memory of each moment,
The greenness of phosphorescent cities,
How they lick the wind. With large round
Eyes I look at the world—look at us all
Dreaming like that! Then, a million
Chambers with all of us stuffed in, how
Do we ever foreclose on a menace?
Look at a schoolhouse the color of mud.
See how it tricks itself of its students,
And see what we call a rainbow that
Enwraps all of us in a gigantic circle.
See that blade of grass sprouting up
From a verb, the only one we have
Ever needed, and it is rightly called to love.
Commissioned by
Music in Bloom Festival
World Premiere
Amy Petrongelli, Chris Seis, Nick Zoulek, Clare Longendyke, Jani Parsons
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