Composer Aaron Kernis recently completed “Symphony of Meditations,” based upon the translation of a Hebrew poem by 11th-century poet Solomon Ibn Gabriol. Zach Carstensen, principal writer for “The Gathering Note” local music blog and government affairs director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, interviewed Kernis via e-mail about the commission.
Zach Carstensen: Your Symphony No. 3, “Symphony of Meditations,” is a number of years in the making. I may be wrong about this, but initially, the piece was not intended to be a symphony. When you first put pen to paper, what were you thinking this commission would be?
Aaron Kernis: Initially I was asked by Seattle Symphony to write a large piece for orchestra of about 25-30 minutes. As my ideas for the work took shape, I could tell I wanted most to write a piece that voices as well. During the year that it was originally to be premiered, the [Seattle Symphony Orchestra] chorus was not available. I asked to work with a group of 12 solo singers, but once I began setting the text it was clear that I really needed a large choir and two solo singers, so the premiere was moved to this season, when the choir was available. The piece is about an hour long, so it grew quite a bit in size and scope.
ZC: How involved were Maestro Schwarz and patrons Jeff and Lara Sanderson in directing the development of the composition? Did they offer ideas of suggestions for you to consider?
AK: They gave me complete freedom to write whatever I needed to, and other than asking [for] a large work, made no specific requests. I’m very grateful for their support during the long process of bringing this work to light.
ZC: The symphony sets medieval Spanish sacred poetry by Solomon Ibn Gabirol. What inspired you to use these texts?
AK: In the mid 1990s, not long after I met Peter Cole (the translator of these texts), I happened to visit Jerusalem. Peter and his wife Adina showed my wife and I around the city. At the end of my stay, he presented me with proofs of his extraordinary translation of the major source text I used, Gabirol’s “Kingdom’s Crown (Keter Malkhut),” which was being readied for publication by Princeton University Press.
ZC: Is there an intended program for “Symphony of Meditations?”
AK: The first movement calls out for and invokes the presence of God in everyday life, evoking the enormity and majesty of God, and clearly show the baritone soloist as every Man, singer of songs and shaper of poems in praise of God — but who is very small and very fallible in relation to the enormity and infinite qualities of God.
The second is a meditation on the simultaneous awareness of existing in the physical world, longing for spiritual meaning and the mystery of metaphysical thought.
The third movement is very dark and intense, and hard to describe in brief, since it has so many sections and concerns. It is the longest movement — nearly 40 minutes, long enough to be a symphony by itself. It seeks forgiveness, transformation and redemption after many expressions of difficult, searching emotions.
It’s interesting to write these words, since I’m not a religious person. Whether or not I believe in God, I believe in belief, provided it does no harm to other beings. The private, internal expression of faith is attractive to me and I celebrate it by writing music. Confronting these issues contributed thoroughly to the creation of this piece.
ZC: As you wrote “Symphony of Meditations,” what was most important in ultimately shaping the piece — Ibn Gabirol’s poem or your conception of the music?
AK: These two worked alongside each other. The poem fundamentally influenced the moods of the texts, and the needs of the music helped me choose portions of the text and condense into what I hope is a coherent personal statement.
ZC: I have heard that the poem used for the symphony is often used during Yom Kippur. How does “Symphony of Meditations” reflect the somberness of Yom Kippur?
AK: The third movement texts speak in part about asking for forgiveness and mercy from God for our behavior toward other human beings and toward God. Parts of the original Hebrew of Gabirol’s texts were incorporated into Yom Kippur prayer books throughout the world. While writing the piece, I was very surprised to see nearly exact phrases that I was about to set at High Holiday services!
ZC: You have used Jewish themes in your music before — “Lament and Prayer” comes to mind — how does being Jewish shape your music? Is it easier or harder to write music grounded in an idiom as personal as culture and religion?
AK: Over the years I’ve set many spiritual texts from various traditions, navigating around the absolutism of much religion practice. Even though I am not religious, I feel drawn to spiritual texts and find inspiration in expressions of faith.
Music is not easy for me to write, but setting texts helps to focus the music’s emotions and phrasing, and using these texts felt very important for me at this point in my life.
Over the years I’ve also been drawn to melodies and musical phrases that evoke Jewish music modes and cantorial singing. This new symphony embraces these Hebrew texts and the beauty which Peter Cole expressed so exceptionally in English.
ZC: You have had a close relationship with Seattle and the Seattle Symphony over a number of years. What are you most looking forward to when you come back to Seattle for this premiere?
AK: Gerry Schwarz has performed my music in New York and Seattle since around 1991 and has been one of the first conductors to champion it over the years. He has been one of the most dedicated advocates of American music over decades. I have dedicated the piece to him and his wife, Jody.
This interview also appeared at www.gatheringnote.com.