My Page in the Bookk of Concurrences Chamber Music - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1583207

Adaptation of a poem by Poet Laureate: Paulann Petersen (used by permission). A free copy of the Performance mp3 may be obtained by contacting the composer. Price includes two copies.

Voice and Piano interplay each line of poetry, each verse having a different character, and Piano motives echo those of the voice. There are reflections of the introduction within some verses, each characteristic of the mood and tone of the verse. The ending repeats one line not repeated in the poem, bringing attention to the hints of independence of not being connected to anything: the aggregate of my choosing. But the tone of the poem transfers immediately into another possibility of Concurrence. The opening theme returns in an obscure tonality to portray the switch, and the piece ends on an air of the of another concurrence.
The singer may interpret with voice inflections and acting, as she journeys through possible metaphysical relationships, reflecting the poet’s portrayal of The New Cosmology: a connective relationship to everything in this world.

The poem:

Half sunken, half reaching into air,

maybe I'm the ribs

of a great ship left stranded

long ago in shoreline, keel now far under—

a big-bodied cradle at sea's edge,

sand-steady, just a little sigh and sigh,

wind-harp rocking.

Maybe I'm lighter than sighs,

ready to float at less than a moment's notice,

a flower-petal of feather

morning glory white, kite bright.

Or mist

buckling itself up the headlands,

rolling into tree-caught clouds,

or sand working out

a level-headedness,

shape-shifting each imprint.

Perhaps I'm water

coming in and in, high tide,

then out and low, but always somewhat in,

somewhat out, swell and dash,

salty singing.

Both everywhere at once

and fallen on each spot, exactly,

maybe I'm sweet and bound toward

the aggregate of my choosing.

Maybe, I'm the rain.