East Bank Music Series:
As I sat and listened to Benjamin Britten played by Jay Sorce in an Episcopal church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, I couldn’t help but think of Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson. In that movie, the church scene showcases the performance of Noye’s Fludde by Britten; this is the moment when the two main characters meet and ultimately fall in love. The boy has a chance meeting with his future girlfriend in disguise; she is in a bird costume. He doesn’t let that throw him, but instead uses this as a conversation starter: “What kind of bird are you?” he asks. “I’m a raven,” she responds. While thinking of this scene, I realized I probably would not be meeting my future husband in this church scenario. Obviously, I mean, I wasn’t even wearing a costume, and so what would we have to talk about anyway?
My mind wandered as I listened to Nocturnal after John Dowland by Britten. It is the perfect piece for this, since it is several movements of variations on a theme. The original is “Come, Heavy Sleep,” an old vocal piece with lute written by John Dowland, and it is a dwelling on death, or perhaps with a lighter mind, endings or seeking respite. I’m glad I did not know this because it would have hung a dark cloud over my more current dwellings on birds (wink and nod).
Instead, I was able to listen to the beautiful plucking of an acoustic guitar within this resonant, quiet space. Every sound lifted up and each movement of Nocturnal after John Dowland telling their own perspective on the same story, perhaps on a raven? One was quick-paced and impatient, another one still and quiet, while another steady in its dream-like lulling. The final movement, Passacaglia, was the most catching with its rhythmic turns and groovy, downward-flowing melody.
Differences told in part by the many color changes with the guitar: sometimes plucked bright and hollow with an ethereal delicateness and other times strummed heavy-like and grounded. All thanks to Jay Sorce, who was able to create these different characters and moods, and all with one instrument. I applaud in thanks, caw!
-Sally, Spring 2014
