the waters wrecked the sky
for unaccompanied clarinet
the waters wrecked the sky takes its title and subject matter from Emily Dickinson’s poem below. Just as the poem anthropomorphizes a storm and the affected area, the clarinet brings life to the words with tremolos representing the winds, beautiful gestures and multiphonics representing the sky, and violent sweeping gestures representing the stormy waters.
The piece was written for Arianna Tieghi in a search for music from American composers from all 50 states and was premiered on July 6, 2012 in Citta di Castello, Italy for the 2012 International Summer Arts Institute.
This work can be found on album In Memoriam Dinu Ghezzo by The Namaste Ensemble's "No Borders Quartet" with Tieghi performing.
The Wind begun to knead the Grass --
As Women do a Dough --
He flung a Hand full at the Plain --
A Hand full at the Sky --
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees --
And started all abroad --
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands --
And throw away the Road --
The Wagons — quickened on the Street --
The Thunders gossiped low --
The Lightning showed a Yellow Head --
And then a livid Toe --
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests --
The Cattle flung to Barns --
Then came one drop of Giant Rain --
And then, as if the Hands
That held the Dams — had parted hold --
The Waters Wrecked the Sky --
But overlooked my Father's House --
Just Quartering a Tree --
-Emily Dickinson
The piece was written for Arianna Tieghi in a search for music from American composers from all 50 states and was premiered on July 6, 2012 in Citta di Castello, Italy for the 2012 International Summer Arts Institute.
This work can be found on album In Memoriam Dinu Ghezzo by The Namaste Ensemble's "No Borders Quartet" with Tieghi performing.
The Wind begun to knead the Grass --
As Women do a Dough --
He flung a Hand full at the Plain --
A Hand full at the Sky --
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees --
And started all abroad --
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands --
And throw away the Road --
The Wagons — quickened on the Street --
The Thunders gossiped low --
The Lightning showed a Yellow Head --
And then a livid Toe --
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests --
The Cattle flung to Barns --
Then came one drop of Giant Rain --
And then, as if the Hands
That held the Dams — had parted hold --
The Waters Wrecked the Sky --
But overlooked my Father's House --
Just Quartering a Tree --
-Emily Dickinson
