Words Wed to Music: A Choral Concert
April 2 at 7 p.m. and April 3 at 8 p.m. The Greenberg Theatre 4200 Wisconsin Ave. NW $8 for AU community, $15 general visit american.tix.com or call x2587
This weekend, AU's Department of Performing Arts unites two powerful subjects, music and literature, for its spring concert "Words Wed to Music: A Choral Concert," as conductor Daniel Abraham leads the AU Chorus and Chamber Singers in a unique blend of rhythmic splendor.
"The chorus often performs large works, but each semester we try to do a smaller concert because it allows us to explore a variety of sounds, technical needs and creative themes," Abraham said.
Indeed, this is just what resonates from "Words Wed to Music." It emphasizes the rhythms of speech and the strength of words in seven sets of different textured themes. Each set includes text from works by literary greats such as Shakespeare and Whitman, and some pieces are introduced by the actual reading of the literature piece followed by the musical interpretation in sung words.
The preceding spoken words add a unique dynamic because the listener is able to see how the text is musically interpreted. One such example is the piece "Lonely People," by Langston Hughes, that is first spoken powerfully and then sung to convey a more heartfelt solemnity.
Abraham said the concert is about playing into words themselves, where "each person has to understand all aspects of the text," from the strength of the poetry to the rhythm of the words.
"The text is more important so we have to understand it," said freshman chorus member Tom Harper. Therefore, choir members even had a lecture on the Walt Whitman piece "Beat! Beat! Drums!" in order to understand its Civil War undertones.
Junior chorus member Julia Bilz said she believes that the Shakespeare songs emphasize the rhythms of speech best.
"The melodies seem to fit with the text, which makes it easier and more fun to sing," Bilz said. For example, one may recognize the line "Hey Nonie No," from Shakespeare's "As You Like It," which harmonizes the line into a rather interesting layered and playful melody.
The Friday performance begins at 7 p.m. with the First Friday Concerts in Context Discussion Series. The panel discussion includes Abraham, composer David Keberle and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kay Mussell. They will discuss how music elevates words and how composers shape one's perception.
