Intensity Ramps

​This is my first work for string quartet.  The piece is in 5 short "movements" without definite pauses between each movement.  Because of this, I've uploaded the continuous audio for the entire string quartet.  Approximate start times for each movement shown below:

I. Stars (0:00)
II. Pillars (1:40)
III. Supernova (2:52)
IV. Black Hole (4:13)
V. What You Hear Is Gone (5:15)

Program Notes:
Shortly after deciding to write a string quartet, my roommate called me to come home and check out something he had found.  Upon arriving at my room, I found that he had set up the recent photo NASA had taken of the Pillars of Creation to show on our television.  We spent a great of time scrolling, zooming, and admiring this beautiful cosmic figure of gases and stars.  A few days later, we found out that on the outskirts of the photo is a supernova heading for the Pillars.  Relative to us, the supernova has already destroyed the Pillars, but because light only travels so quickly, we can still observe the Pillars of Creation, even though they are already gone.  I had already wanted to write a piece inspired by the Pillars, so this idea that we can observe what is already gone really touched me.  Movements I and II set the scenery.  Movements III and IV tell the narrative of the Pillars' destruction, and finally, movement V hints at the concept that is the monicker for the piece: What You Hear Is Gone.

Players:
Violin 1: Daniel Allen
Violin 2: Sahada Buckley
Viola: John Cooper
Cello: Conner Hart

Five Vignettes:  What You Hear Is Gone (string quartet) [live, Spring Recital 2015]

Greg Hamilton, Sable Thompson, and Jason Abraham- Bb Clarinets

Photo taken by ultrakickgirl https://www.flickr.com/photos/ultrakickgirl/5809351607/in/photolist-9RmrQB-9Rponj-9Rmsee-aWZ5G8-aWYYjn-aWYMC8-aWYNZr-djaDX1-9AV8XN-6zVcHt-8uoEQT-4xYzsZ-9Xh8kF-hDRVXA-hDQycW-7ugcz4-aWZ2bD-aWZ7Cc-94Crf-b4ta7-6zZirh-aWYT72-aWZ6Ja-aWYEQv-aWZ4pn-aWYR8P-aWYV9n-aWYVZa-3bgN9-6zVbiR-o6f7yW-nLJ5gy-hDTtFH-hDQ58P-hDQU49-6JyDHc-hDQvPi-hDTNJ2-aWYFZx-aWZ3jv-6zVcr8-hDS9vy-njxuaf-hDSAPU-hDSGdu-hDX9ce-7VYbTp-hDS9dN-isxmJh-aWYZdV

Uncertainty Principle - (3 clarinets) [second species, live, Spring 2016 Recital]

Washington Isaac Holmes- Baritone
Geneva Stonecipher- Piano

poet Edgar Lee Masters #171 on top 500 poets Poet's PagePoemsQuotesCommentsStatsE-BooksBiographyShare on FacebookShare on Twitter
Poems by Edgar Lee Masters : 30 / 263 « prev. poem next poem »
Benjamin Fraser - Poem by Edgar Lee Masters

Their spirits beat upon mine
Like the wings of a thousand butterflies.
I closed my eyes and felt their spirits vibrating.
I closed my eyes, yet I knew when their lashes
Fringed their cheeks from downcast eyes,
And when they turned their heads;
And when their garments clung to them,
Or fell from them, in exquisite draperies.
Their spirits watched my ecstasy
With wide looks of starry unconcern.
Their spirits looked upon my torture;
They drank it as it were the water of life;
With reddened cheeks, brightened eyes,
The rising flame of my soul made their spirits gilt,
Like the wings of a butterfly drifting suddenly into sunlight.
And they cried to me for life, life, life.
But in taking life for myself,
In seizing and crushing their souls,
As a child crushes grapes and drinks
From its palms the purple juice,
I came to this wingless void,
Where neither red, nor gold, nor wine,
Nor the rhythm of life are known. 

This text comes from a massive collection of poems by Edgar Lee Masters called the Spoon River Anthology. Each poem is from the perspective of a person who has died in the village of Spoon River. The various narrators tell stories of their lives, deaths, or interactions with others in the town. The set of poems shows a wide range of character; some tales are humorous, others tragic, and some, like this, are horrifying.

This text particularly spoke to me because of its detailed imagery. "Benjamin Fraser" tells the cruel story of a rapist who, in his delusions, believes he truly brings life to his victims through his terrible actions.

The poem formally is set in three sections. The first section sets the scene. The second (starting with "Their spirits watched...") gives a view of Fraser's delusional mentality of his actions. This comes to a peak with the word "gilt" which currently means "to plate with leaflets of gold" but has an older meaning of "to make red with blood." This word has a duality between Fraser's delusions (instilling false ideas about his victims, almost like covering another object with gold) and reality (the actual bloody story). It's similarly fitting that this word is a homonym with "guilt" as the following third sections suggests that Fraser may know he is suppressing the monstrosity of
his actions. We never find out how Fraser died. Perhaps he was overcome with this guilt.

Photo used taken by Christopher Cook. https://www.flickr.com/photos/133517056@N05/19934690626/in/photolist-wnyv1w-ojEtW1-qBWyRa-qTNVxG-i6yrDk-aL1WTx-rFyuWe-oJkheG-gRSubv-57RU7G-afcb9a-hGRYvU-8yMAF1-noezJP-rvSnM7-aL1Xe8-a7yuaP-7aVD9s-7yioPo-vcBT7-p2q8tu-aLvDTH-ssGWm3-cQnvzq-cQnv2Q-uWbcu-9LGCZo-cMCmH-oN6FP1-oMcoDf-qsfS1c-wmVkV-ohS4Sh-iCv3MQ-rCxszb-hBowLw-pBj5TA-84AG4C-rxYG5m-7iLZaP-pRALay-jyoHHK-hKsQrz-pTwoiP-vZPN-o82cCX-8kWS47-86FFoa-9zTeQm-ksu5Hs

Benjamin Fraser (baritone,piano)[live, Spring 2016 Recital]

From a reading session with UGA Repertory singers.  Conducted by Phillip Reed.

The piano is not a part of the piece but shows up in places to assist with reading!

Photo used taken by Robert Couse-Baker.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29233640@N07/14724197800/in/photolist-or8n2j-et5mJh-et27bX-et5M1o-iPaKKA-et274r-7Uahs1-eYcLS9-et5kxN-cGHLy5-et5LEE-et5mM5-5v6DBH-fDfuk7-et2yET-ebJ6Vv-5DC811-4rawjf-et26WZ-84hd8L-7ZddkJ-67p1kK-nZi5Wc-2193x-9ArRA2-eMYSib-cXskaJ-69THJB-4aV6sC-no8FVw-nm3N85-bmAz1-5BBjv2-hUtP5d-f9oj2C-a4txFk-9tXNXQ-6V4Evf-8ayiD4-66cPnj-5DqhDr-7UUjkJ-hU7rUY-4zqPsw-egmDhK-4FLXz1-avUcvv-m9qs9-b6WTeT-qkhW2s

Child of the Tree That Owns Itself(mixed choir) [reading session with UGA Repertory Singers]

Performed live by Duo Damiana (Molly Barth, flute; Dieter Hennings, guitar)at the Charlotte New Music Festival 2016

The title Ogopogo is insignificant musically, but a friend said the sloping graphic notation in the A section reminded her of the cryptid Ogopogo (similar to the Loch Ness Monster) bobbing its head in and out of the water, which is a fun title. Each formal section explores similar play styles between the instruments: A works with flexibility, fluidity, and speed of tremolo-like figures; B with pitch alterations; and C compares guitar ligado and plucking to flute slurring and tonguing.

Performed at Tate Hall, Central Piedmont Community College 6/11/16

Photo used was taken by Jodie Wilson, entitled "Is Ogopogo in there?" The photo was found on Flickr.com in the creative commons section and is used legally under an attribution license. No changes were made to the photo, and the original can be found at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jumpyjodes/122362317/in/photolist-4TjADM-9nUxko-8ncWSz-MyLaR-9MV2D6- 6qtbUn-eiiisi-bP948-cVN4Ly-nEW6ZM-nfer7n

Ogopogo (flute, guitar) [live at the Charlotte New Music Festival 2016]

Shoomn for choir

Strangling All That I Love

Ouija Wonderland Premiere - Luke Aucther

Coaxing The Wind into a Visual Manifestation - Christian Poppell

Speaker Pops reading by Cisum Percussion

Hello, my name is Kyle Lewis.  I'm currently a composition student studying at the University of Georgia.

Kyle Lewis, composer

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