As Syllable from Sound

As Syllable from Sound was commissioned by Donald Berman as one of a set of new pieces from four different composers, meant to serve as companions and expansions of Charles Ives’ Concord Sonata. After spending quite a bit of time thinking about how Ives manifested the thinking of Emerson, Hawthorne, Alcott, and Thoreau in his music, I felt that to embody Emily Dickinson in music, as Don had requested, I needed to make the simplest thing I could, sitting very near the edge of nothing, but somehow allowing everything to be inside it. Did I succeed at that? Only the listener can decide.

Quotations that are at the center of what I have made:

I play the old, odd tunes yet, which used to flit about your head after honest hours–and wake dear Sue, and madden me, with their grief and fun– (Emily Dickinson, Letter 184, late April 1856)

We are far from having exhausted the significance of the few symbols we use. We can use them yet with a terrible simplicity. It does not need that a poem be long. Every word was once a poem. (Emerson: The Poet, 1844)

Harmony [Charles Ives’ wife] had heard Edie [their daughter, age 4] playing out on the porch in Redding. [She] was picking up her doll and chanting, “Come right up, Dollie, come right up into heaven. I’m an angel — I’m the only angel here — come right in & see me. For God’s dead and I’m lonesome.” (Jan Swafford, Charles Ives: A Life with Music, p. 283)

The Brain — is wider than the Sky —
For — put them side by side —
The one the other will contain
With ease — and You — beside —
The Brain is deeper than the sea —
For — hold them — Blue to Blue —
The one the other will absorb —
As Sponges — Buckets — do —
The Brain is just the weight of God —
For — Heft them — Pound for Pound —
And they will differ — if they do —
As Syllable from Sound —

line 3: contain) include

Emily Dickinson J632

There is also a half-secret reference to Aaron Copland, something singers and pianists are likely to recognize.

Why — do they shut Me out of Heaven?
Did I sing — too loud?

As Syllable from Sound is dedicated to Donald Berman with great affection and respect.

You can listen to one of Don’s performances of As Syllable from Sound on 20 October (Charles Ives’ birthday) in my ongoing project A Book of Days.