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Words & Music: A Conversation with Poets and Composers
voice and imagery, while leaving room for the music to Bock: I’ve written a few texts that have been set to mu-
paint some of the colors as well as elaborate on what sic, and a few that have not. All of them have been
the text introduces. Language with open vowels, espe- poems that come from their own place without any as-
cially at climactic moments, is crucial and I often work signment. I don’t know if I could produce under an
with my collaborator to achieve this. If there are too assignment/commission structure. I’ve never done it.
many details or there is too much “music” in the text
itself, the pairing with sound can make the resulting art
too busy. Runestad: I will happily work within a general theme
for a commission but prefer freedom in choosing the
specific direction and text/poet. Not all texts can and
Cordero: Even though it sounds obvious, I like a text I should be set to music!
can understand. I fall in love with texts that speak like
we speak today when having a conversation or speak-
ing over the phone with a loved one. I like texts that are Cordero: Hard question! I like to have specific de-
short, direct, and vulnerable because I feel safe coming tails so I can be creative within my limits. A few years
in and interacting with the text. I become a bridge to ago, when I was in college, I had a commission where
bring it to more people. I believe that our audience is they told me I could do whatever I wanted, and what
not only that one that comes to the concert but is also I wanted was to cry. The piece I did was too diffi-
everyone who comes in contact with your voice, and cult because I was doing things because I “could”
your voice is everything that we do! instead of writing for the ensemble. When I failed
on this first piece, I decided to write an “I-am-sorry-
I-wrote-such-a-hard-piece piece” and that’s how
Pederson: To start, some texts just seem to present “Salve Regina” came to life! Then, I was writing for
melodic or rhythmic ideas to me; I’ll sit down at the the people and not for a made-up set of choral tools.
piano to noodle on the text and a musical idea will
emerge. I love when a text says something in a new way Flanders: What a great question! I find that a gener-
and paints the picture in a way that is fresh or evoca- al direction, theme, guidance, and sense of what the
tive. Also, finding the internal rhymes (inside the phras- shared intentions are is helpful. But when directions get
es rather than at the ends of them) and figuring out a too specific, they can be limiting. For Carlos, he gets to
way to highlight those is a fun challenge. Brian’s writing consider many musical factors: instrumentation, how
is full of interesting internal rhymes. I’m also drawn many singers, time, and whatever else the musical pa-
to texts that allow people of various backgrounds and rameters are. For me, that information is also helpful
experiences to enter in and find something meaningful. as it can set tone. But for me, when a piece is coming
So, I often look for texts that can serve as a springboard fresh to the world, it’s not about rendering it. It’s about
for conversation. finding it! About exploring the territory from which the
song emerges. Too much direction in the assignment
How specific (or not) do you like your assign- can stunt the exploratory process.
ment to be?
Powell: I prefer that the commissioning organization Newhouse: I like two things in a commission: One,
provides specifics on the purpose of the work, the crystal clarity on the approximate length of the piece,
theme of the occasion or concert, mood, tempo, and deadline, special occasion or commemoration, and of
general style. If they have a poem in mind, I will want course as much as possible about who’s singing it. I also
to read it and determine if it is one through which I like to inquire what the commissioner hopes the piece
can find inspiration before agreeing to the commission. might accomplish, what effect it might have on the au-
12 CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2023 Volume 63 Number 7