It was a great honour for me when Canadian percussionist extraordinaire, Beverley Johnston asked me to compose three pieces for voice and mallets for her to perform. I chose three poems by e.e. cummings.
Two of the pieces are written for marimba but the middle piece, which is the most tender of the set, is for vibraphone. I composed it fairly quickly (at least for me). I imagined the opening being done with 3 mallets in one hand and a bow in the other, and checked with Beverley to make sure it was possible.
The poem is just four words and is presented with the letters falling in a way a leaf might fall during a quiet autumn day. The letters are somewhat scrambled and could also be thought of as alternative words as well. The main sentiment though is that of being alone and loneliness. A leaf falling from a tree certainly symbolizes the final gesture of its life. Loneliness is a universal feeling we all have to varying degrees. It can even be a warm feeling sometimes when we need some quiet time, or it can be devastating if we’ve felt it through the loss of a loved one. One can interpret it differently on different days.
