Overview
This Pond v=wXwj4jMnWZg (click here for score) is a four-act miniature opera composed for solo soprano voice and solo violin. The piece opens with a two-minute video entitled “The Dangers of Dogma” from the 1973 BBC documentary series The Ascent of Man, by British mathematician and historian, Jacob Bronowski. The text embedded in the first three acts is also taken from The Ascent of Man.
The title of the piece is twofold: “This Pond” refers to the ash ponds of the Auschwitz concentration camp, while “v=wXwj4jMnWZg” is the URL link to the opening video “The Dangers of Dogma”. Each act has two contrasting parts that are followed by a silent pause.
Act 1 begins with the violin playing an intricate combination of two-voice gestures that are reminiscent, both rhythmically and harmonically, of a Bartokian-style Slavonic Dance.
Act 1 begins with the violin playing an intricate combination of two-voice gestures that are reminiscent, both rhythmically and harmonically, of a Bartokian-style Slavonic Dance.
The harmony alternates from light to dark without committing to either. This gives it an overall feeling of intense forward motion while maintaining a certain ambiguity in its representation. The violin is then suddenly interrupted and subdued by the soprano who boldly announces the words “this pond” while the violin accompanies with what skeletal remains are left of the rich opening theme. This process is twice played out, with the violin making a tentative comeback only to be once again abruptly halted by the soprano.
*The above video is a collection of excerpts taken from a 2017 premiere of the first movement of "This Pond v=wXwj4jMnWZg". The score was transposed and shortened for this occasion. The violin has taken on the role of the soprano voice, and the cello plays the original violin part.
Act 2 opens with a remorseful lament from the violin, which, after a short rest, changes temperament and joins the soprano in an emotionally undulating narrative that is for the most part retrospective. We are then transported to a world of fragmented thoughts that are kept afloat by an anxious undercurrent. This undercurrent eventually overwhelms and propels us to a stark and frozen landscape. Gradually we begin to witness a thawing out and an eventual return to the highly charged opening narrative that brings this act to a close.
Act 3 is a short summary of the previous two acts. It is also a commentary on the inherent dangers imbedded in the seemingly benign dogma of certainty. The foregoing brings us to the harmonically rich and lyrically tragic Act 4, entitled “Exit.” Here, text is drawn from Kaddish For An Unborn Child by Imre Kertesz and is akin to a supplication. There is a continuous dialogue between the violin and soprano that ends with the text “Let me submerge Lord God, into this pond.” It is left to the listener to ascribe meaning to this final plea. This Pond v=wXwj4jMnWZg runs approximately forty minutes. The violin is limited to the lower range of the instrument whereas the soprano part reaches into the upper register with its reoccurring high D. This contrast, coupled with the dense harmony and three-part voice leading is meant to evoke a certain discomfort, which makes the silence in between movements a valued respite.
Act 3 is a short summary of the previous two acts. It is also a commentary on the inherent dangers imbedded in the seemingly benign dogma of certainty. The foregoing brings us to the harmonically rich and lyrically tragic Act 4, entitled “Exit.” Here, text is drawn from Kaddish For An Unborn Child by Imre Kertesz and is akin to a supplication. There is a continuous dialogue between the violin and soprano that ends with the text “Let me submerge Lord God, into this pond.” It is left to the listener to ascribe meaning to this final plea. This Pond v=wXwj4jMnWZg runs approximately forty minutes. The violin is limited to the lower range of the instrument whereas the soprano part reaches into the upper register with its reoccurring high D. This contrast, coupled with the dense harmony and three-part voice leading is meant to evoke a certain discomfort, which makes the silence in between movements a valued respite.
*Please note that this is a midi audio file and its sole purpose is to give the listener a general sense of the piece. It is not an accurate representation of the actual instruments and should not be viewed as the final product.