“The Red Wheelbarrow,” an innovative environmental/imagist poem I first read as a teenager, struck me as an alluring and joyful means to immerse in a commission by Austin’s Inversion Ensemble for their Planet Home project. The score blossomed during a fellowship at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, a pastoral setting that nurtured embracing the poem’s vivid landscape. The piano provides a repeating foundation over which the choir playfully evokes the spare text, using variations of the initial theme throughout. There is a contemplative moment midway, then the pulse resumes, concluding with a gleeful repetition of the last line.
“The Red Wheelbarrow is a wonderfully approachable and fun piece of music. The singers of Inversion had a blast working through the rhythmic lilt and subtly beautiful harmonies, so often found in Rich Campbell’s music. The clever musical interpretation brought out the wry humor of the text, which helped to set a relaxed atmosphere for the rest of our concert. It was exactly the opener we needed!”
-Trevor F. Shaw Artistic Director, Inversion Ensemble
View Score & Video here: https://musicspoke.com/downloads/the-red-wheelbarrow-campbell/
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