Writing the middle third of my oratorio reminds me of the middle
movies of trilogies. The Empire Strikes
Back, Back to the Future II, The Matrix Reloaded – I remember watching each
of these in a movie theater, enjoying the ride and leaving the theater filled
with excitement to see the final chapter. Middle-of-trilogy movies focus on developing
the story line while also providing enough tantalizing plot twists to make an
audience want to return. This is usually achieved by a major revelation or
cliffhanger near the end of the movie, something that will sustain an audience
goer through the long months before they can watch the final installment and
achieve a sense of closure. In short, these movies build anticipation. Darth
Vader is Luke’s father? Dr. Emmet Brown (i.e. Doc) has accidentally transported
himself back to the Old West? Neo is just part of the Matrix’s programming to
keep the humans under control? Nooo! These mysteries pique the audience’s
curiosity, leaving audiences hungering to know how it all resolves.
I considered plot development and use of anticipation
while composing Part II: The Rise of
Humanity of Terra Nostra, my oratorio-in-progress. In Part I: The Creation of
the World, I set texts that explore the birth and beauty of our planet. In
Part II, I chose poetry that
celebrates mankind’s industrial advances (the invention of the steam engine,
automobile, and airplane) while at the same time noting the impact these are taking on the planet. The texts regarding industrial progress are joined together into a single movement that comprises the first
half of Part II. This music is very joyful, rhythmic, and mechanical, with the tenor
and baritones soloists frequently interspersing with the chorus. The latter
music in Part II, however, turns quite dark. The soprano and alto soloists sing
a duet to Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “Binsey Poplars” about a beautiful landscape
that is being demolished for industrial needs. In this hushed movement, the
soloists are accompanied by strings that mournfully slide between their pitches
to represent grief for the planet (here is an excerpt):
When we hew or delve:
After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.
Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Strokes of havoc unselve
The sweet especial scene,
Rural scene, a rule scene,
Sweet especial rural scene.
Part II concludes with the chorus and soloists singing “A Dirge”
by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The text depicts a world that is out of kilter:
Rough wind, that moanest loud
Grief too sad for song;
Wild wind, when sullen cloud
Knells all the night long;
Sad storm whose tears are vain,
Bare woods, whose branches strain,
Deep caves and dreary main,—
Wail, for the world’s wrong!
Grief too sad for song;
Wild wind, when sullen cloud
Knells all the night long;
Sad storm whose tears are vain,
Bare woods, whose branches strain,
Deep caves and dreary main,—
Wail, for the world’s wrong!
To accompany these words, I crafted restless, creepy-sounding
music filled with moaning sounds, ominous trills, and instruments that play out
of sync with each other. The music becomes increasingly unstable as I build
tension to a chaotic climax, after which the music quickly drops to a whimper
and dies out.
As in movies, I present a plot development in Part II: The Rise of Humanity that is not
resolved until Part III: Searching for
Balance. Mankind is taking its toll on the earth and its resources; what
can be done and where do we go from here? If I’ve done my job right, audiences
will come back to hear the conclusion of the oratorio.
Part I: The Creation of the
World premieres November 15th and 16th in San
Francisco with Maestro Robert Geary, San Francisco Choral Society, Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, and soloists. Part II: The Rise of Humanity premieres in April 2015, and the oratorio will
premiere in its entirety in November 2015. For tickets and further information, please visit
the San Francisco Choral Society’s webpage.