componist
Bart Michiels is a Flemish composer based in Antwerp. Inspired by the endless color possibilities and sheer power of the modern symphony orchestra, he focuses mainly on writing richly scored ...
gerelateerde werken
De Profundis : for mixed choir and organ / Bart Michiels; texts Psalm 130 and Oscar Wilde
Genre:
Vocaal
Subgenre:
Gemengd koor en orgel
Bezetting:
GK org
Genre:
Vocaal
Subgenre:
Gemengd koor en orkest; Elektronica en zangstem(men) met of zonder instrument(en)
Bezetting:
sopr ten bar JoK2 2GK4 3334 4441 timp 6perc hp pf str tape
Genre:
Vocaal
Subgenre:
Gemengd koor en orkest
Bezetting:
sopr alt ten bas GK4 MK4 pic 2fl ob ob(ob-am) eh 3cl cl-b 2fg cfg 4h 4trp 4trb tb timp str
Genre:
Vocaal
Subgenre:
Orkest; Gemengd koor en orkest
Bezetting:
2222 4331 timp perc hp str (GK4 ad lib. in finale)
Klaagsang : uit "Die dieper reg", van N.P. van Wijk Louw, vir koor en orkes, (1970) / Henk Badings
Genre:
Vocaal
Subgenre:
Gemengd koor en orkest
Bezetting:
GK4 2222 3330 timp perc cel pf str
compositie
I Sit And Look Out : for mixed choir and orchestra / Bart Michiels; poetry by Walt Whitman
Overige auteurs:
Whitman, Walt
(tekstdichter/librettist)
Toelichting:
One gloomy day, while browsing some poetry, a poem by the great American writer Walt Whitman caught my eye: I Sit and Look Out.
The poem constitutes a critical reflection on various forms of social oppression throughout modern history. In the poem, Whitman depicts human nature as one of cruelty, injustice and indifference, suggesting the human tendency to ignore other people's suffering and not to intervene if it is not directly related to oneself.
Indeed, throughout history, individuals and societies have always succeeded in causing suffering and agony to each other, be it because of differences in belief systems, religion, skin color, gender, sexual preference or wealth.
Even today in COVID times, Whitman's analysis about human behavior remains accurate as the world is more polarized than ever before.
Inspired by the universality and topicality of Whitman's poem, I decided to use his text to write a piece for choir and orchestra, also lending his title for the work.
I wanted the music to reflect Whitman's dark depiction of humanity, thereby using the full force and colors of the orchestra. The mixed choir functions as the central observer in Whitman's poem, indifferently noting all the suffering and injustices around the world.
Despite the dark athmosphere throughout the piece, there are also shimmers of hope in moments where the orchestra & choir come together in a single unisono chant.
Bart Michiels, January 2022