Carlos Simon
The last week has been delightful. The Everything Conducting team in collaboration with the Omaha Symphony completed our first Everything BUT Conducting seminar. Watching the awesome Omaha Symphony under the masterful baton of Maestro Ankush Kumar Bahl was a treat. I loved hearing Stella Chen’s performance of the gorgeous Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto as well as the powerful and monumental Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler. The composition I was most excited for was Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, which did not disappoint in any way.
For me, there is a clear energetic, Hollywood, Marvel - superhero vibe to this composition from the very beginning, which I find compelling as Simon writes that he was inspired by a journal entry from Beethoven.
Iliad. The Twenty-Second Book
But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet not she shall share
In my renown; that life is left to every noble spirit
And that some great deed shall beget that all lives shall inherit
Simon writes,
“We know that Beethoven strived to overcome many obstacles in his life and documented his aspirations to prevail, despite his ailments. Whatever the specific reason for including this particularly profound passage from the Iliad, in the end, it seems that Beethoven relinquished to fate. Fate now conquers.”
The Fate Now Conquers is fun, rhythmically interesting. There are some tricky arpeggiated passages and rhythmic challenges throughout. It would be an excellent choice of repertoire for a top notch youth symphony or university orchestra and above. Brass parts are rhythmically tricky and high at times.
Carlos Simon’s music resonates his clear love and inspiration of his family’s long affiliation with the African American Pentecostal Church and his close connection to gospel music. In much of his music, he does this while offering the listener potent musical emotions through his use of musical textures and words, solidifying his inspirational leadership in the ongoing racial justice movement.
Compositions I would love to share:
Is a great composition for an excellent youth ensemble and above. It is a short work based on the visual art and talent of the late Romare Bearden, whose life and work included a broad range of interests including music, performing arts, history, and literature. From Simon’s notes, this particular piece, “aims to highlight the rich energy and joyous sceneries that Harlem expressed as it was the hotbed for African American culture.” The Block includes six paintings of buildings within a one block area in Harlem. The music explores textures in similar ways that Bearden’s paintings incorporated various artistic mediums such as watercolor, graphite, and metallic papers. I love this composition!
Amen (2017)
This is a great composition for a university orchestra and above. Amen has great percussion and brass parts. From his program notes, this composition was to “re-recreate the musical experience of an African American Pentecostal church service” that he enjoyed while growing up in Atlanta Georgia. Super fun piece!!
Is a great composition for a college orchestra and above. This is a powerful composition with spoken word written by Courtney D. Ware. From Simon’s program notes, the “queen” represents “strength, courage and selflessness” and “traces the evolution of black people in America through the lens of the black woman. This is a very powerful composition highlighting the strength of women and the importance of their voice in our communities.
Please enjoy these works!
Anna Edwards ©