The name is absent

77

Example 2.4: Black Birds, Red Hills, Second mvt, mm. 1-10

The opening also features contrasting descending legato gestures, first in the piano
in m. 3 and later in the clarinet in m. 7, that function as previews to the contrasting
middle section of the movement. In m. 11 the mood shifts to a lyrical section marked
legato and the viola replaces the clarinet as the dominant melodic instrument. Larsen
regards this part as her representation of the black rock in time. The painting’s
perspective is critical here: “She paints it as if it’s really huge, but it only can be held in
the palm of my hand.”⁵⁵ In the original version O’Keeffe’s monosyllabic words “They
have lain there for a long time...” were set with the pitches of the viola’s melody, the
word ‘time’ falling on the half note—the longest note in the phrase. This chromatic and
55

Larsen, interview, 8/2008.

<<   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   >>

More intriguing information