Liquid Days

Our Spring program features composers who could be said to be ‘minimalist’ in style. Mostly tonal, with an edge, both Debussy and Satie in the early twentieth century eschewed the lush and sentimental style of the Romantics and German schools, as did Glass the difficult and largely complex world of the avant garde mid-century.

Debussy denied his label as an ‘Impressionist’ composer and yet there seems to be much truth in that description. Even his own titles suggest this (as in Petite Suite). Satie, whose individuality was very much a part of his public persona, was a great admirer of Debussy. And as Debussy rejected the German style of bombast in his search for a truly ‘French’ voice, so did Satie recognise the need for his own voice. His most famous pieces (Gymnopèdie), are pared to the bone, and continue to be played and admired by audiences world-wide.

One of the most famous (and divisive) of twentieth century composers and one credited with spawning the ‘minimalist’ trend, Philip Glass, is represented by three songs from his collection Songs of Liquid Days (1986). He notes that the words came first, on his request to various song-writers. And so as you don’t miss these wonderfully quirky and humorous poems, here they are:

Freezing by Suzanne Viga

If you had no books/Only you/Naked on the grass/Who would you be then?/And I said I wasn’t really sure/But I would probably be cold/And now I’m freezing….

Forgetting by Laurie Anderson

A man wakes up to the sound of rain/From a dream about his lovers/who pass through his room/They pass lightly by these lovers/They pass/Never touching/ These passing lovers move through his room/ The man is awake now/He can’t get to sleep again/So he repeats these words/ Over and over again/Bravery, kindness, charity, honesty, compassion, generosity, bravery, honesty, dignity, charity, kindness, ……

Changing Opinion by Paul Simon

Gradually we became aware of a hum in the room/ An electrical hum in the room/it went mmmmmmmm/We followed it from corner to corner/We pressed our ears against the wall/We crossed diagonals and put our hands on the floor/ it went mmmm/ Sometimes it was a murmur/Sometimes it was a pulse/ Sometimes it seemed to disappear/ But then with a quarter-turn of the head it would roll around the sofa, a nimbus humming could mmmmmm/Maybe it’s the hum of a calm refrigerator cooling on a big night/ Maybe it’s the hum of our parents’ voices long ago in a soft light mmmmmm/Maybe its the hum of changing opinion or a foreign language in prayer oooo/ Maybe it’s the mantra of the walls and wiring deep breathing in soft air.

Three Australian composers contribute to our program –

Elena Kats-Chernin’s Dance of the Paper Umbrellas was composed for the Hush program. For this, composers contribute a piece in the hope of ameliorating the suffering and discomfort of severely ill children. This piece, so light and care-free, yet fragile, is aptly named and placed.

Words to Carl Vine’s touching song Love me Sweet are after a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Love me sweet, with all your heart, Feeling, thinking, seeing/ Love me with your lightest glance/ Love me in full being/ Love me with your open arms/ In their frank surrender/ With the vowing of your lips/ In their silence tender.

Clive Lane’s Momentum was originally composed for two guitars and vibraphone. I am delighted to have received this piece after one of our concerts that Clive attended. It is full of unexpected rhythmic changes and humour. Clive has also kindly arranged the piece for harpsichord (with vibraphone of course!).

Diana Weston