Tongues

Description

Soprano, Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet in Bb, Guitar, Viola, Percussion — Program notes from Jason Eckardt: Tongues refers to glossolalia, better known as "speaking in tongues," an ecstatic outburst of unintelligible vocal sounds that resembles spoken language. The vocal writing in Tongues evokes the volatile grip of possession that is said to hold the human vessel through which the divine or supernatural passes. In sex sections that vary in instrumentation and character, the soprano gives voice to sounds that suggest the transformation from self-awareness to rapture. These sounds, not limited to phonetic utterances, often reflect the timbral properties of the accompanying ensemble. The soprano, in this "concerto for voice," oscillates between influencing and imitating her instrumental counterparts, alternately supporting, amplifying, and leading the ensemble.