Oh, my GOODNESS, sometimes chamber music is just… hard. We’re doing a piece by Swedish composer Thomas Jennefelt called “Warning to the Rich,” and … it’s all humming and whispering and discordant chords and semi-choruses shouting and mocking laughter and abrupt cut-offs, and, like, wailing — I kind of hate it, but it’s also kind of awesome. I haven’t decided yet.
When I think over the years how many times I have absolutely LOATHED a song or piece we’ve started, and then come away appreciating the hard work, and absolutely loving the piece, well, it makes me laugh. Why do I even bother complaining?
s i n g
songs discordant, sung
with insufficient drama
sound just like failure
no timidity here –
OWN that harmonic maelstrom!
I WISH this poem came with an audio clip!!!!
🙂 And that precisely is why I always tell my singers that I will accept any/all complaints AFTER a performance. Tell them it’s absolutely fair to hate a piece of music, but most of the time, our dislike comes from discomfort (and in the case of middle schoolers~utter laziness).
I bet it will be a stunning piece to hear from the audience’s perspective!