Deep River

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Violoncello — DEEP RIVER: RHAPSODY FOR STRING QUARTET was commissioned by the Apollo Chamber Players. They requested that I base my composition on material representing my heritage in some way. I chose (as I usually do in my string pieces) to quote a favorite Spiritual, this one being Deep River.This piece represents a slave’s visions of escape, over the river (usually the Ohio). This idea carries with it a sense of energy, of freedom, even joy and the humor they imagine upon deliverance. A sudden interruption by the whip brings them back down to the cruelty and sadness of the situation. Eventually, sadly, they recover, and, quietly embrace again the distant vision they hope to realize someday. Hailstork’s 11-minute rhapsody is a dramatic set of variations on the beautiful and meaningful spiritual Deep River. The work’s profound emotional arch reflects the longing of enslaved Africans to cross the river to freedom, with the music depicting both hope and despair in the setting of this beloved melody. Hear the Apollo Chamber Players' recording at https://open.spotify.com/track/62jahNISWMviZwsYEZ7tf1

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