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Sextet
2023
Bassoon
Clarinet
Double Bass
Flute
Piano
Viola
- Program Notes
- Regenerate, Heal, Cool First Performance: Mostly Modern Festival, June 2023 Duration: 8:06 Bill Taylor ©2023 For flute, Bb Clarinet, Bassoon, Piano, Viola, Double Bass Sebastian Serrano-Ayala, conductor Lindsey Goodman, Tasha Warren, Gina Cuffari, Amir Farid, J.J. Johnson, Jeff Campbell 2 movements, I. Sere II. Alive Composer’s comments: I am passionate about solving the climate crisis by restoring natural cycles such as the water cycle. The way more “civilized” humans have farmed for millennia, with plowing that destroys soil life, creating hot surfaces of deserts, removing most plants that keep the water cycle going, and burning carbon in the soil, informs this piece. The second movement depicts the solution being practiced by so-called regenerative farmers, although the term is easily coopted by greenwashing interests. These methods were generally practiced by indigenous cultures but abandoned with a more violent and competitive culture that seemed to accompany what we call civilization, leading to the fall of numerous such societies as their land was depleted of biological processes. Perhaps there is time to learn from past mistakes, as many farmers are now doing. This is especially important now as regenerative farming cools the climate by replacing bare soil with vegetation, restores the water cycle, and increases soil carbon. The first movement “Sere” is in 2/4. It describes the growing season on a monoculture farm, starting with driving mechanical music for plowing and planting, a tranquil rain which becomes a downpour with erosion and ponding due to compacted dead soil (glissandi). As the land dries out, the bare soil heats with direct sun (dissonant chords and irregular rhythms). Between the flooding and heat, the crop does not survive so a rushed replanting followed by rain and fertilizer-induced rapid growth brings pests, weeds, and biocide spraying (somber music). Lots of descending glissandi and quieting presents the death of the soil life. A dirge conveys the frustration of paperwork, insurance claims, and crop failure. A dust storm seals the disaster, followed by a meager harvest and plowing it all under. The second movement has a joyful tone throughout. This biodiversity, vibrant, abundant natural farming movement is in 13/8 which allows interesting intrameasure groupings with diverse rhythms and sounds. It opens with bird calls, a lively scene above ground with interwoven motifs from all instruments. A few successive tonality changes point to the rich biodiversity of this regenerative farm. A darker figure represents pests entering, but they are quickly handled by the intelligence of the ecosystem. Even more interweaving of themes and shifting rhythms draw attention to the below ground world that makes all this abundant life possible, and builds gently into a continuing dance with bird calls, underground and aboveground life (animal, fungal, and bacterial), and happy plants. Bill Taylor, Touch the Earth Music, www.touchtheearthmusic.com ©2023 BMI Mvt I 1-16: plowing, almost beating up the soil 17: planting with force 24: rain, 29: downpour 33: erosion, ponding on the compacted surface 38: heat, dry, searing sunlight baking the exposed soil 53: rushed desperate replanting 60: more rain 65: growing rapidly using chemical fertilizers 75: “Kill the buggy”, “Kill what bugs me NOW!” biocide spraying 80: Bad and beneficial and neutral life all dying 93: frustration, paperwork, financial worry 103: “We give crop insurance, When you grow commodities, You grow what we tell you to, We will take care of you, Hail fire flood and drought, Pay for every failure, Subsidize biocides, subsidize cheap food, Subsidize bad food, Chemicals and pharma” 115: hail, dust storm, meager harvest, plow it all under Movement II. Alive. Note rhythmic groupings of 13/8 (biodiverse, biological, soil always covered, regenerative farming) 143: Calm, birds, sense of piece and aliveness, “Grow some cover crops, Bring diversity, Feed the soil life, Plants exude that food, Fungi weave the earth, Plants and microbes dance 161: different keys, “Animals with the plants indigenous wisdom is teaching us” 168: Pests and Predators, intelligent signaling, balance “Pests are going to eat our harvest, Predators will bring back balance, Microbes plants and signals call, Life abundantly for all” 180: The life below ground: bacteria-fungi-plant synergies 183: birds, grazing animals, the entire food web, are in focus so now it’s abundant life above and below ground 194: rain, now better absorbed by the soil sponge of life. The dance of life continues with abundant harvests
- Recording Notes
- Recorded at Mostly Modern Festival, June 9, 2023. Any postings must list American Modern Ensemble and Mostly Modern Projects (MMP). MMP grants me permission to submit to contests and institutions, but not to sell the recording.
- Performer Credits
- American Modern Ensemble