Four Ways to Set a Star

2025 . for high voice and contrabass . c. 9′ .

The idea for this song cycle came from a project I wrote years ago entitled Values in 4 Parts, wherein I used specific strictures to structure four separate movements for high voice and alto saxophone. This time, I chose to keep the cycle cohesive by choosing only one text to set. Borrowing the idea from visual arts of studies on a single subject, I wanted to find four unique ways of expressing a single meaning. The strictures themselves come from publications by writers associated with the French literary group the Oulipo, and from the publications by composers associated with the more loosely configured musical counterpart the Oumupo. The result is four connected studies for high voice and contrabass, exploring facets of language, constraint, meaning, and emotion.

Text

The Star by Lola Ridge

Last night
I watched a star fall like a great pearl into the sea,
Till my ego expanding encompassed sea and star,
Containing both as in a trembling cup.

Performed by LIGAMENT at the University of Iowa, May 3rd, 2025 . Anika Kildegaard, soprano, and Will Yager, double bass .