Civil-Civility for Chamber Orchestra

Civil-Civility (2016) depicts the acts and writings of courageous women who defied all odds to help women and humanity.  Women have historically struggled to achieve their rights in patriarchal societies even from the time of 9th-century Kassia, born in Constantinople into a wealthy family.  She refused to accept the dictums for feminine behavior and therefore founded a convent.  The chamber ensemble piece, Civil/Civility, continues the resistance by highlighting six women who made a difference in their lifetimes despite prejudice, ignorance, arrogance, and chauvinism, all were quintessential role models.      

Written in six movements, the various ensembles capture the spirits of these intrepid women and create musical portraits.

I.Sentiments – Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815 – 1902) was an American suffragist, social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early women's rights movement.  The melody passes from one instrument to another in equality to ensure that We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.  Perhaps fighting for equal rights produces unexpected allies and unusual sentiments among the participating instruments in the string orchestra.

 

II.Gift of Mystery – Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962) is revered as a political figure, diplomat, and activist.  She was the longest serving First Lady of the United States, and even campaigned and gave speeches for her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Gift of Mystery is a wordless vocalese for soprano, violin, and piano.  Often when a woman speaks, her words go unheeded.   Perhaps a wordless movement gives more prescience than if words are used.  Certainly, in the case of Eleanor Roosevelt, her words did not go unheard.  

 

III.Memories of Our Lives – Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005) is known nationally as the "mother of the modern-day civil rights movement" in America. In Memories of Our Lives, there are twelve complete variations of the eight-measure passacaglia theme, with the thirteenth only a partial statement of the theme.  

 

IV.Committed – Margaret Mead (1901 – 1978) was an American anthropologist, author, and speaker in the 1960s and 1970s.  In Committed Harbach was inspired to write a two-part piece for string orchestra with flute and piano. The first part is newly composed and projects the feeling of Peace, while the second portion is based on the German chorale Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (In Peace and Joy I Now Depart) and projects Joy.  The chorale was written by Martin Luther (1483-1546). 

 

V.Light of Truth – Ida Wells-Barnett (1862 – 1931) was a former slave who became a journalist and launched a virtual one-woman crusade against the vicious practice of lynching.  Light of Truth is a set of variations for string orchestra, and perhaps the variations could be interpreted as searching for truth.  The slight tango feel that begins in variation five is usually expressed by the viola.  All instruments enjoy tossing the melodies back and forth.  

 

VI.Ain't I a Woman – Sojourner Truth (1797 – 1883) was born into slavery and became an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist.  In 1828 she went to court to regain custody of her son, and she became the first black woman to win such a case against a white man. Written for soprano, piano, and chamber string orchestra, the short introduction opens with a dramatic and declamatory statement "And ain't I a Woman?"  At the end of the piece, she contemplates the celestial, and begins to assert her strength and independence, "I'm not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star." This is a musical tribute to the strength and courage of Sojourner Truth and all the women, who each in their own way, exhibit boundless courage and fortitude against sometimes unseemly odds.

Instrumentation:

I. Violin I and II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass

II. Soprano, Violin I, Piano

III. Violins Violin I and II, Viola, Cello I, Cello II, Double Bass

IV. Flute, Violin I and II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Piano

V. Violin I and II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass

VI. Violin I and II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Piano