We've reached the point, it seems, where nothing is forgotten, which makes it harder for new composers to grab the public's ear. That's why I was delighted with the premiere of a new work by Chapel Hill composer Nathaniel Stookey at the opening night's gala concert. Audience members in the balconies were asked to rub crystal glasses to create a ringing sound that lingered after the orchestra had stopped playing. Perhaps this represented the background radiation scientist's talk about from the original Big Bang, or simply the afterglow of music as it dissolves into the mind. I felt the universe had been enlarged just a little bit.
All great composers create new sounds as well as new music.
They introduce new instruments. They enlarge, or shrink, or rearrange the orchestra. Wagner even created a special hall. I like to think it is the sound of the future. Copyright 2000 Eason Publications.