by Kile Smith | Dec 15, 2008 | Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
David Patrick Stearns of the Philadelphia Inquirer includes the premiere of Vespers as one of the top ten musical events of 2008 hereabouts. I’m surprised by this, and delighted by this, as I have been surprised and delighted by the reactions I’ve gotten over the...
by Kile Smith | Oct 22, 2008 | Fleisher Collection, Music Composition
At the Fleisher Collection I’m on an orchestra listserv and the ophicleide came up for discussion. (This is what happens on orchestra listservs.) Anyway, it’s a brass instrument in the bass/baritone range that has been displaced by the tuba, and I was arguing for its...
by Kile Smith | Oct 16, 2008 | CDs, Choral music, liturgical music, Lutheran, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
Michael Lawrence has posted some nice words, some awfully nice words, about Vespers at The New Liturgical Movement. It meant a lot to me when, referring to my setting of “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern,” he said, “This is a tune that had gone sour for me—until I...
by Kile Smith | Oct 9, 2008 | Classical music, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
Donald Nally and The Crossing have wanted to work with the poetry of Paul Celan, and I’m delighted that they’ve commissioned me for one of the works for The Celan Project, their year-long series of concerts this 2008–2009 season. I’ve made the acquaintance of...
by Kile Smith | Sep 14, 2008 | CDs, Chamber Music, Classical music, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
American Spirituals, Book Two. 2008; cello, piano; 11′. Written for and recorded by Anne Martindale Williams, CD and score published by Paul Jones Music in the collection Sacred Music for Cello. 1. Jesus, Master, O discover 2. When the stars begin to fall 3. Little...
by Kile Smith | Aug 22, 2008 | church music, hymn, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
The story goes that Stalin wanted a national hymn written and asked Shostakovich, “Will three months be enough time?” and that the composer answered, “Five days will do.” This is how I heard it. Shostakovich didn’t get the job, but I’ve often recalled the story...
