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the metric middle, relates to the contrasts and extremes of the climate and landscape of
New Mexico. Larsen indicates that she does not mean for this piece to be programmatic
or to have a narrative like Black Roller, nonetheless the chart in Figure 5 illustrates
several of the musical gestures both implied and explained by Larsen in this section
which directly connect to O’Keeffe’s words and painting.
Figure 5: Significance of Musical Material in Black Rock
|
Measure(s) |
Musical Material |
What the Music Signifies |
|
11,18,22 |
Repetition of triads__________________ |
The rock lying there________________________ |
|
12-14, 22+ |
Chromatic alternation_______________ |
The sand working away at the rock_________ |
|
11+__________ |
Pulsation___________________________ |
Time passing___________________________ |
|
11+__________ |
Piano QStinato in thirds_______________ |
The grounding__________________________ |
|
12+__________ |
Clarinet gestures____________________ |
The air surrounding the rock________________ |
|
Small viola range |
Smallness of the rock but in skewed |
In addition to these general gestures, there are some specific instances of text
painting. When resetting O’Keeffe’s words to Larsen’s viola line, one can suppose that
the swirling clarinet gesture in m. 14 occurs after the words “blowing sand.” Also, it is
likely that Larsen twice used the words “They have lain there for a long time,” once in
m. 18 and again four bars later when the gesture repeats itself, amplifying the passage of
time.
Third Movement: Red Hills and Sky
The third movement of BlackBirds, Red Hills, is based on two paintings. The first
one, Red and Orange Hills, (1938) returns to the Pedemal Hills as its subject. However,
unlike Pedernal and Red Hills, this painting is an extreme close up, similar to Black Rock
with Blue Sky and Red Clouds. The trees are in scale, but O’Keeffe removes the brush