Program Notes: October 21, 1995
The Fixed Desire of the Human Heart
Samuel Adler
Samuel Adler's The Fixed Desire of the Human Heart, "An Homage to
Woodrow Wilson's Vision of World Peace", commissioned by Adler's students of 32
years teaching at Eastman, is something of a prayer or meditation, freely using
the chorale "In Your Mercy grant us Peace." The wistful opening leads to an
agitated middle section, suggesting that even in times of peace, thoughts of
war and its bitter memories remain, and in fact are necessary motivation to
remain vigilant in the struggle for peace. This vigilance is clearly
represented by Wilson's quote which appears at the front of the score:
"I consider the agitation for international arbitration and world peace a deep-seated and permanent thing, representing the fixed and universal desire of the human heart."The music ends as it began in its pulsing, contemplative mood. This concise, intense work sets the tone for the rest of the concert (which included Mahler's Kindertotenlieder ) in which consolation and resolve surface against a backdrop of horror and grief.
As a symbol of the universal significance of Stars in the Dust and
the dreadful occasion which it commemorates, the world premiere of the
cantata was held simultaneously in 12 major cities across the United
States in November 1988. This work explores the horrors and chilling
implications of
Kristallnacht as a prelude to the even greater atrocities of the
Holocaust. Yet while the composer in his portrayal has not attempted to soften
the fear of that night, the piece takes the listener through heart-felt
emotional responses of anger, bewilderment, and ultimately consolation and
resolve. The musical palette of the work is striking and varied,
incorporating
the most traditional elements of the Jewish liturgy as well as the strident
sounds of the emergence of violence, and the uplifting harmonies of the final
hymn of praise. Here are the words of the composer:
The final portion of the work is dominated by two tunes associated with the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, for after all,
Kristallnacht
was the occasion of the destruction of every Jewish sanctuary in Germany. The
very end of the piece is one of hope and hopeful reconciliation, for perhaps we
all share, in some way, the guilt for this and the ensuing events by the fact
that there was generally world apathy toward most of it, and perhaps from this
commemoration will evolve a resolve that we have all learned to be on our
guard to insure that "never again" any events like these will occur anywhere
in the world against Jews or any other human beings.
Stars in the Dust
Samuel Adler
In order that the music would communicate the event more directly, I worked
some pre-existing tunes into its fabric. The work begins with a motive most
familiar to every German Jew, the intonation of the blessing over the Torah.
This is a very different tune from the one we use in this country. It is quite
Schubertian, based on a major triad. In contrast to this, the traditional chant
for the Book of Lamentations frequently occurs, especially at the cadence of
phrases....such favorites as Hodo al eretx, and
Ki Mitziyon are
heard, and at one point, to emphasize the symbiotic relationship which existed
between Germans and Jews for many hundreds of years, I have placed a descant of
the German national anthem, Deutschland, Deutschland uber Alles, which
seemed to work perfectly, but towards the end, as in reality, "went sour..."
—Jed Gaylin