in a vast edifice of stone and space

in a vast edifice of stone and space

for string quartet and electronics

commissioned by Chamber Project Saint Louis

program note

in a vast edifice of stone and space is a work for string quartet and fixed media inspired by the landscapes of Yosemite Valley in Central California as captured through the lens of Ansel Adams. Adams’ photography is well known for its dramatic black and white imagery of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, where he lived and worked for much of his adult life. He was equally adept at documenting the still and serene moments in nature. This work responds to two of Adams’ photographs that depict these two opposing temperaments of Yosemite’s winter.

One of these photographs, Winter, Yosemite Valley, offers a contemplative view of a snow-draped stand of trees amid a cold and quiet stillness. The image evokes a peaceful melancholy that guided the opening portion of my composition. The other photo that inspired this composition, Clearing Winter Storm, encapsulates the dynamic drama that typifies Adams’ photography—the grandeur of Yosemite Valley emerges from the shroud of a winter blizzard. The photograph’s striking use of light and form gives a sense of dynamic motion into the still image, qualities that have profoundly shaped the dramatic contour of this piece.

Having spent many weeks backpacking through the Yosemite National Park, these images recalled for me the natural sounds that play such a distinct role in the experience of this place. A notable element woven into the music is the call of the Hermit Thrush, a sound that I remember fondly in the evenings and mornings in Yosemite. The thrush’s song acts as an awakening in this piece—a call to the senses to embrace the natural wonder that unfolds.