Because I want to?

Ghazal, a piece for SATB Choir, viola, and piano, was commissioned in 2012 and performed at New York City's Merkin Hall in March 2013.  Featuring the ensemble KHORIKOS, pianist Andy Roninson, violist Catie Longhi, and the poetry of Patricia Rose.

Ghazal (for piano, viola, choir, and sopranos)

"Progress?", for two pianos, is sort of about the birth, life, death, and resurrection (?) of an idea? maybe?


© 2014 Alec Galambos Music

Progress?

Okay so there's this tune from 1631, from what is now Peru, called "Hanacpachap Cussicuinin" - just google it, I'll spare you the history.

Long story short, there were rules about music back then and this tune broke them left and right.  I think that's awesome so I messed with it some more in this short variation/meditation for piano.

Sorry/not sorry, ancient Incan tradition.

Ars Veterum

Originally composed by Franz Gruber, Arranged for KHORIKOS by Alec Galambos

Performed by KHORIKOS, dir. Jesse Mark Peckham
Recorded at The Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua, New York.
For more information, please visit www.khorikos.com

Silent Night

Performed by KHORIKOS

The Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua, NYC, November 7th, 2015



The Language
BY ROBERT CREELEY
Locate I 
love you some- 
where in 

teeth and   
eyes, bite   
it but 

take care not   
to hurt, you   
want so 

much so   
little. Words   
say everything. 

I 
love you 
again, 

then what   
is emptiness   
for. To 

fill, fill. 
I heard words   
and words full 

of holes   
aching. Speech   
is a mouth.


-----


It took a year to find The Language.  I was hoping to find one magic poem specifically about verbal communication, the dangerous power of words, and how difficult it is to say what you mean to say using words alone.  Reading and rereading The Language left me emotional and confused; it was a perfect fit.

The central contradiction in the poem is that Words definitely do not say everything, which is widely known by readers of official press releases, work emails, and five-paragraph essays, or by anyone in a job interview or on a date.  Despite being “full of holes”, we allow written words to have an overriding effect and we let the loudest speech trample any soft dissent.  “I love you” is not immune – the phrase is loaded with meaning, but can be made empty through casual use, or smothered with anger (as in “teeth and eyes, bite”.)  It also often manages to be communicated without any words at all, and sometimes that's the best way.

This poem challenged me to “say what you mean to say” but also forced me to acknowledge that we can’t.

The Language (for choir)

I am an NYC-based composer and audio designer, and the director of the KHORIKOS vocal ensemble.

Progress?

alecgalambos