We Always Want MOORE Music
- DeborahVincentSoprano
- Mar 28, 2019
- 4 min read
For my upcoming Senior Recital, I am singing some art songs by the American composer, Ben Moore. I had not heard of his compositions until spring of last year when my vocal teacher introduced me to them. I immediately fell in love with his art songs! Moore has such a unique sound and is so melodic in his compositions. He not only writes the accompaniment for his music, but has written the lyrics for some of his songs. I am singing four of his art songs in one of my recital sets.
Here is a little about Ben Moore:
Ben Moore is a modern day composer, born in Syracuse, New York, in 1960. Moore’s music is lyrical and easy on the ear. The New York Times and the Opera News have praised Moore’s music. His compositions include many styles and genres. Moore has composed scores for three operas. He also composes musical theatre, cabaret, chamber music, choral music and comedy material. Moore’s texts include settings of great poets, comic material and even some of his own lyrics. He received his B.A. from Hamilton College, and an MFA from The Parsons School of Design. Moore is not only gifted at creating music but also as a painter. A number of Ben Moore’s songs can be heard on singer Deborah Voigt’s album “All My Heart.” In fact a number of Moore’s song compositions were written with her in mind.
Ben Moore interviewed with Final Note Magazine. Some of the questions they asked him and his answers are as follows:
WHAT WAS THE FIRST INSTRUMENT THAT INTERESTED YOU AND HOW DID IT COME INTO YOUR LIFE?
The piano without a doubt. My Mom was an excellent pianist and watching her play Chopin and Bach as a child absolutely mesmerised me. I started lessons when I was around 8. I was a terrible piano student, however, I could not muster the discipline to become more than fair. Nevertheless, I loved to play and I still itch to get back to the keyboard if I’m away from it for any length of time.
WHAT MUSIC GENRES INSPIRED YOU EARLY ON?
I was an atypical kid who was not very interested in pop music. When I was very young, I remember playing the love duet from Tristan and Isolde at full volume and being absolutely transported. I was also in love with Puccini. And, to this day, American Musical Theatre, especially the great Rodgers and Hammerstein scores and West Side Story – they still floor me with their incredible songs.
Moore goes on to talk about how he and Deborah Voigt partnered up and more on how he got into composing. Read the full article here: http://finalnotemagazine.com/articles/ben-moore/
When I began listening to Ben Moore’s music, it was not a hard choice to sing it as a set for my senior recital. The hard choice was picking which songs to sing! They are all so good and have their own unique qualities. The four I ended up choosing were; “In the dark pine wood”, “Bright cap and streamers”, “This heart that flutters” and “On Music.”
“In the dark pine-wood” is a song set to a poem from James Joyce’s collection, Chamber Music. Moore says the “unquenchable longing is beautifully expressed in this short verse with its carefully chosen images.” Although it is a short piece, the lines and phrases are elegantly written. The song is to be song with tender longing and desire. I picture a couple meeting in the woods, forgetting time and not worrying about anything else going on in their lives; just their love.
This recording is performed by Deborah Voigt on her C.D. “All My Heart.”
The song “Bright cap and streamers” is a text by James Joyce. Moore says that “the song can hardly be performed with too much zeal.” With the clustery chords and many accidentals, it has a differing tone quality compared to the other pieces. Give kudos to the accompanist as this is no easy piece to play! Once you get used to the crunchy chords it is fun and energetic to perform. It makes me picture a sailor at sea, maneuvering through rocky waters, but having a jolly time in spite of it because he is going to see his love once more.
“This heart that flutters” text is also by James Joyce. The piece has beautiful flowing lines, and a lot of give and take in the tempo. The accompaniment is the emotion of the heart, constantly moving and changing. The melody just floats on top going with the emotions. Moore says “the recurring motif in the piano part is meant to express subtle anxiety and heartache set against the simple, tender melody for the voice.”
Here is a recording of me singing it in voice studio class! The piano accompaniment is my favorite part of this song and our accompanist Shelly Armstrong does an amazing job at expressing the emotion in it!
“On Music” is a telling of the beauty of music. Moore wrote the lyrics to this song. He has said that the piece is “an affirmation especially to those who dedicate themselves to a life in music.” The phrases are lyrically sweeping, and you want to go where they are taking you. The lyrics are simple, yet so profound. Letting music fill you, and then letting it come out of you. A beautiful picture Moore has created in this piece. He wrote it to be performed as a closing song to a set. It speaks a lot to my heart, as this will be the last song I sing on a Wayne State stage.
What a joy it has been getting to know Ben Moore’s music this year! Diving deeper and deeper into these songs, I feel I know a piece of who Moore is. How amazing it is that you can get to know someone through music. I hope whenever I perform, Moore’s music and others, I portray what they intended and express to audience what they wanted.
References:
Ben Moore: 14 Songs for Medium High Voice and Piano. G. Schirmer, Inc. 2006.
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