-
Dear Readers-
I'm editing this work "Defenders" originally written for ASM and wanted to share my notes from this piece. Hopefully we'll hear it soon. Rzewski had some interesting things to say about my essay, all of which left me even more committed. PEACE.


"Music is the opposite of war. Even the most clashing, iconoclastic music is humbled by the power of the medium. Music has the power of peace. This work was originally conceived as an homage to the 'Defenders of the Union" Arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. It represents the power of reconciliation. And music becomes the MESSAGE of TRANSFORMATION - "HEALING THROUGH TONE."
In this work I am focused on energy transformation rather than technical demands. it is a work that can hopefully be understood by players and listeners very directly. In the end, perhaps we all - artists, composers, conductors, players, singers, presenters, thinkers and critics are the "New Defenders", striving through our art to make this world better for all of our children. In this process of defending peace we may be uplifted to feel the complex beauty of this new music."

(Brooklyn, NY 2006)
notes for "Defenders of the Union" for chamber orchestra (unperformed!)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

-
My name is Charles Waters. I am a composer and performer living in Brooklyn. I am originally from North Carolina via Atlanta now in beginning my second (?) decade here in the Big Apple. I started this blog to explain some of my compositional working methods - in particular this new style or form of works that I call CONCERTIMENTO . But also to write about shows I see(a lot), thing I see ( strange!) encounters I have and just basic musical life in my late-thirties. I would be part of what I call the SUBMERGING COMPOSERS GROUP. So first disclosure and second definitions about my work because I think "owning" words about ones art is vital in the post-post modern - what I refer to as REMODERN -times. So first I am rather uneducated in terms of being a 21C composer. I was trained pencil and paper style in 80's with Dr. Scott Meister at Appalachian State University. And still to this day I compose on pen and paper. I have rarely had problems with any one understanding my m...
Read more
-
Image
Feldmusic - music for out-of-doors -very different then indoor concert music. I have been listening to the birds - I awoke at 4 am Sunday to a choir of birds singing in the rain! I have mentioned before in this blog my love of NYC parks especially the small, forgotten corner parks and tribute squares. These places are an oasis of sound and I'm trying to map that tonal geography! This new work for quartet - 'GREEN DOME LIBERATION SUITE' is dedicated to my second son Avery. I intended for this music to be played in the Green Dome Park which somehow is NEVER open - we need to tear down the gates with tone - music is the power, it can liberated your mind! Scored for flute, clarinet,/bass clarinet, violin, cello - in 8 movements - this is the 'waters motion music' - someday we will play this in the garden itself and I can answer the question "Daddy, why is the park closed?"
Read more
-
Image
I love Anti-Social Music. I remember working a long hot summer day in 2005 in Park Slope and found a card that asked "Do you like Zappa, Boulez, Hank Williams, Coltrane,etc..." then maybe you'd like to join ASM - amazing group. They have played several of my new works and some of my concertimenti. So I think we forgot this secret piece I wrote: "LEAP DAY CONCERTIMENTO" (2/29/2008) marked "Fast & Hard, Taken Apart" This version is brand nu edit, hope y'all dig it! [Concertimento #16]
Read more