FRENCH COMPOSER Jehan Alain was cut down early in life at the age of twenty-nine in 1940 during World War II. But he left an indelible mark on organists and composers. His sister, Marie–Claire, the youngest in a family of composers and musicians was regarded as the greatest organist of the Twentieth Century.
Jehan Alain’s organ work Le jardin suspendu — The Hanging Garden (1934) is a mediation on the necessity of artistic refuge. In the score he writes:
“Le Jardin suspendu, c’est l’idéal perpétuellement poursuivi et fugitif de l’artist, c’est le refuge inaccessible et inviolable.”
“The Hanging Garden is the artist’s ideal, perpetually pursued and eternally elusive; it is the inaccessible and inviolable refuge.”
With age and increasing personal and professional responsibility come an unavoidable necessity for a secure place to create, connect, and pray. In my case, the supreme realm of refuge is composition. There are others, but the invention of new music is a deep exploration of the interior life. Ironically, this movement inward is simultaneously an expansion outward of connectivity to God and inexorably toward humanity. What is necessarily a self-absorbed activity for a time transmutes into an act of love and service.
Upon interpretation and execution, any musician delves deep into the well of technical expertise, but must not be obsessed with perfection. (Save that for the recording studio and digital editing!) Yo-Yo Ma himself spoke of trying to have the “perfect concert.” Finding that this was fruitless, he abandoned this. True art makes peace with vulnerability.
The necessary role of the artist is to communicate the ineffable, the Spirit. A high level of technical skill is necessary. But we are not machines. Exquisite phrasing is challenging to convey only on paper. One relies on the artist to animate the Spirit. The artist draws from the well of their entire being: physically, emotionally, technically, mentally, and spiritually.
Art also requires collaboration. Metamorphosis of personal refuge into physical manifestation requires an indelible bond between composer and performer. Such collaboration can be quite direct, even within the composing process itself, or exceedingly remote through distance and time.
True art emanates from the source of all life, the Creator. Every artist must enter into the interior life. In doing so one becomes a finer musician and a better servant of God and of each other.
FOUR PIECES FOR FOUR FRIENDS
One such collaboration took shape for a concert at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, “Giving Voice to Our Soul.” (Here is a review from the Boston Music Intelligencer) I composed an aria for each of the main cathedral section leaders. I asked each to submit to be a text meaningful to them, sacred or otherwise. Of course there’s a personal story behind the choice of each text! The rehearsal process and interpretations were highly collaborative. Each artist had specific input which naturally comes with great mutual respect. Each brought their own spirit, personality, energy and unique technical prowess.
In short, they gave me everything I asked, and significantly more. They reached deep within themselves, and in doing so, bless us all.
I hope you may enjoy:
He must increase. I must decrease. • John 3: 30-36 • Taras Leschishin, baritone
When He Was Gone • John 13:31-34 • Michael González, tenor
Letter to a Friend • Fra Giovanni Giocondo, 1513• Jaime Korkos, mezzo-soprano
The Bluebird • Emily Dickinson • Barbara Hill, soprano, Arnold Friedman, cello
