Addressing Wonder (1996)

from Addressing Wonder: The music of Ed Jacobs by Ed Jacobs

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Addressing Wonder was completed in 1996 while I was teaching at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. As I began this piece, for The Fidelio Trio at the request of the Guild of Composers, I had several wonderful talks with my brother Robert and, as always, found myself questioning a number of certainties—in this case musical ones—that I had held for some time. I dedicated Addressing Wonder to my brother, who has been a continual source of inspiration for me. Robert has used his exceptionally sharp mind in what I believe is the greatest pursuit imaginable—the tireless questioning of everything we claim to “know.” I offer this piece as a wish that his influence will always help me address life with wonder, and address the wonders of life.

Technically, I began this piece in much the same way as I usually do - by writing a chorale to serve as the work’s underpinning. This chorale is the source from which all the piece’s melodic and harmonic materials are drawn. Conceptually, I found myself in search of a spirit that was introspective yet ultimately filled with joy and life. The first thirty seconds of music says much about the questions being posed in this piece. The opening gestures present widely contrasting characters, dynamics, range, timbres and textures in very quick succession. In the course of the ten minutes that follow, these seemingly contradictory gestures find common ground in a bebop‑like texture with punctuations in the piano (the notes of which come from the original chorale) and smacking, percussive ‘Bartók’ pizzicato strings.

credits

from Addressing Wonder: The music of Ed Jacobs, released March 19, 2021
Hannah Levinson, viola
Christopher Gross, cello
Steven Beck, piano

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Open G Records New York, New York

Open G Records is an independent classical record label based in New York City. We strive to assist the exceptional artists on our roster in making records that tell their stories on their terms. Our artists enjoy unprecedented freedom in the production of their art, and co-own the resulting product in a profit-sharing structure. We hope you enjoy this wonderful music and thank you for listening! ... more

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