“out of a mountain of despair…” (2018)
for symphonic band
Premiered by the St. Olaf Band, Boe Chapel at St. Olaf College, April 7, 2019. Based on poetry by Mac A. Gimse
Also performed by Crane School of Music Concert Band, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, directed by William L. Lake Jr.
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(Performed by the St. Olaf Band, Timothy Mahr, Conductor).
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(Performed by the St. Olaf Band, Timothy Mahr, Conductor).
“A Stone of Hope”
poetry for MLK, Jr. by Mac Gimse
“Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
You begin me wind, the trees mime your gallop as you race
across the crouching hillside, gathering into great thunderheads
of power, to send lightning-grabs of pent up torrents
crashing down into the chaos of my unsuspecting world,
to crush my arm-in-arm march to be heard at last,
then violate my innermost sacred chamber
…without my permission.
“Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
Ah wind…you stir the waters with Holy Spirit sounds
to breach wombs of readiness, that will deliver children of mercy
to be nurtured by us, to grow in wisdom and strength, and
lead us onto common ground, where soils are saturated by every
mix of human blood, and soaked down by human tears, that we
might learn to sow our seeds of peace into fields of a gentler faith
…asking the God of all religions for permission.
“Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
We lean against our moral obligations to friend and foe alike,
bracing up each bridge of passage that leads us to our most urgent quest.
“I have a dream.” Upon this rock we will create love, not hatred.
“I have a dream today.” Upon this rock we will offer mercy, not revenge.
“I have a dream that one day” Upon this rock we will build peace, not anger,
until together we pronounce a verdict of mutual respect between
the powerful and the powerless for all future generations to follow,
…making peace their only permission.
“Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
Somewhere in the vastness of our separations we hear cries
to steady the trembling foundations of our fragile homeland;
to set down our weeping weapons on screaming streets of rage;
to circle our sanctuary against brutal ethnic cleansing; to bind up
wounds laid bare by warring creeds; to tame, to calm, to quiet
the loudly angry in order to hear our freedoms ring. Then lift up our
next born “as a joyous daybreak to end the long night” and declare
“Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
…using all humanity’s permission.
Notes from the Composer
This piece was written in response to poetry by Mac Gimse, for the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I recognize that I am not a part of King’s marginalized community and that I have approached this process from a place of privilege. In no way do I attempt to speak for any marginalized peoples, rather I merely aim to reflect, respond, and honor Dr. King with my music.
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The piece begins with a depiction of a storm. I used extended techniques and a freer notation system to create an organic yet intense beginning. After the storm reaches its climax it fades away, opening the space for the next section which mirrors the second stanza of the poem. Here I focused on words like “stir,” “nurtured,” and “grow.” There’s a melody line in the soprano saxophone which is blurred and echoed by the flutes and clarinets. This softer, more distant moment creates the space to process the intensity and violent chaos that has just occurred. The music starts to gain momentum, and other instruments join in, creating a composite melody line that extends up and up, reaching ever higher, searching for an answer.
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The third stanza of the poem quotes King’s “I have a dream,” using it as a foundation on which to build a better world for the future. It looks back on the Civil Rights movement and everything that was accomplished for King’s marginalized community in his lifetime. It is comforting to look back at this speech and the early Civil Rights movement, as Rachel L. Swarns mentions when reflecting on the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination, because “holding on to the memory of the earlier Dr. King allows us to focus on our nation’s progress, not on the deeply entrenched problems that remain.” I struggled with the second half of Gimse’s poem; his words shine with optimism and hope that we can and will build a better world. But it has been fifty years since King’s assassination, and even as an outsider from his marginalized community, I can see that King’s goals have not yet been fully realized. As an ally, I see us quote King’s call to peace but then fail to act when it really matters. We turn a blind eye to the systematic inequality we all create through our inaction, quietly supporting the institutions that maintain our privilege and marginalize others. When you read some of his later speeches, you’ll notice that all of the issues he was raising remain relevant and unsolved today. With the second half of my piece, I hope to convey that we should continue to honor and remember Dr. King, but that we can’t truly honor him without continuing his work.
This piece was made possible with support from the Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI) grant at St. Olaf College.
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Instrumentation
Piccolo
Flute 1, 2
Oboe 1, 2
English Horn
Bassoon 1, 2
Contrabassoon
Eb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet 1, 2, 3
Bass Clarinet
Contrabass Clarinet
Soprano Saxophone
Alto Saxophone 1, 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpets 1, 2, 3, 4
Horn 1, 2, 3, 4
Trombone 1, 2 (div.)
Bass Trombone (div.)
Euphonium 1, 2
Tuba 1, 2
Harp
String Bass
Timpani
Marimba
Vibraphone
Tubular Bells
Suspended Cymbal (2)
Tam tam
Thunder Sheet
Bass Drum (2)
5 Tom-toms
Tenor Drum
Snare Drum
Timpani (also plays suspended cymbal)
Percussion 1: Marimba, Tam-tam
Percussion 2: Vibraphone, Tam-tam, Bass Drum
Percussion 3: Thunder Sheet, Tubular Bells, Tenor Drum, Snare Drum
Percussion 4: Bass Drum, 5 Tom-toms
Percussion 5: Bass Drum, Suspended Cymbal
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Contact Erika for score inquiries.
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