Description
The poem Hands, by American Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962), was written in response to Jeffers’ visit to the ancient Esselen people's "Cave of the Hands" near Tassajara, CA. To Jeffers, the multitude of hands painted inside the cave was a reminder that we are part of a continuing chain of humanity and that artistic expression is central to the human experience. I composed this choral piece with the goal of illuminating Jeffers’ words and creating an “aural portrait” of his ideas.
The opening is descriptive of the cave, starting mysteriously, with the voices entering one by one, as if “inviting in” the listener. After expanding in choral range to describe the enormity of the rock, the range suddenly contracts with the setting of the word "hands" — a chromatic, melismatic melody, rising and falling, as if tracing a hand's shape from the thumb outward. Excerpts from this opening section appear unexpectedly throughout the work, reminding the listener of our place as “humans” in this story. The first section closes with the chorus singing in unison, underscoring both the multitude of hands (the full choral sound) as well as the single repeated image (the common pitches).
As Jeffers begins to muse on the motives of the ancients, the choral texture becomes slightly fragmented. Addressing the passage of time, the music flows with frequent meter changes, underscoring the nature of change. Then the ancient people speak directly to us, the choral writing becoming simpler in harmony and texture. The climax is the exhortation to "all hail" the newer generation, cautioning us to enjoy our time on earth until we too are "supplanted". Unison singing returns, to emphasize that we were and are all one, the piece ending with a reprise of the tracing motif (now just a hum), spiraling downward until the sound disappears.
With this work, commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival, I seek to honor Carlos Kalmar’s 20th anniversary as the Festival’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, and the magic he has created with his artistic hands.