Here Comes Treble: American Dreams
Isabel Bradley wrote the following poems while working on a transcription for the flute of music composed by Antonin Dvorak.
To read more of Isabel's memorable words please click on Here Comes Treble in the menu on this page.
* *
Antonin Dvorak, son of a butcher and publican who lived near Prague, was born in 1814. His father, however, also played the zither, and this awoke in Antonin a love of music, which was to carry him far from his native country, to England and, in 1892, to New York where he was head of the National Conservatory. He remained there for three years, during which the music he composed was inspired and coloured by the sounds of the people who lived there.
In his most famous work, his Ninth Symphony, he used the sense of the negro spirituals.
In his lesser known, but beautiful American Sonatina in G Major, Opus 100, for violin and piano, he was inspired by the Native Americans – the “First People”.
The following poems were written when I was working on a transcription of this work for the flute.
Joyous and Free
“Allegro Risoluto”
It shines from far
This vast new world –
So far from home,
So different from the old…
Young and vibrant,
Cities rise –
Slashing through the skies,
Challenging the mountains,
soaring high and higher.
Rivers raging, oceans pounding;
Deserts, desiccated, never-ending;
Canyons deeper than the sea.
And everglades,
Green as mystery,
Waters still and dark,
Running deep –
Dangerous life
beneath their mirrors…
Vast new world,
Alive and savage,
Joyous and free!
**
Indian Canzonetta
“Larghetto”
My love is gone…
My love is dead and gone.
My eyes shed tears
And my face weeps in the deep, dark waters.
I loved him – I loved him so…
He left me here
Where all that was bright is gone…
We loved in the softness of spring,
When Father Sun’s fingers
Danced on waters that sparkled,
Blue and clean,
Lighting our lives…
He died – he died…
And now Father Sun hides His face,
The skies are dark,
The waters deep and still.
And I –
I am…
Alone…
and grieving…
**
Celebration!
“Scherzo – Molto Vivace”
Celebrate – celebrate!
Come, seek your own pleasure –
Let juices run fast –
The fires of love burn fiercest
when flames flicker bright
and feasting’s at its height!
Feel the drums beat,
Feel them beat in your feet!
Dance and twirl,
And whirl and leap,
And pound the ground!
See,
faces flow and flicker and melt in the heat,
Bodies caper and prance –
Dance, and dance and dance to a trance…
Celebrate – celebrate!
Come, find your own joy –
Let love flow through you
As fires die,
As flames flicker blue
And dawn licks the sky…
**
The Young Hunter
“Finale – Allegro”
Hot earth carries my feet,
Sun, warm and glowing
Lends me speed -
I dance across the world,
Leaping over roots and flowers,
Where tree-shade dapples the grasses…
Deer,
Startled,
Shy,
Leaps away:
Chase it,
Follow –
Swift and light,
Skimming the ground -
Vanishing in a flash of golden sky!
Cool pool, forest-ringed,
Silence and birds’ song,
Peace all around
In peaks and valleys…
Now –
again –
the hunt is on!
Feel the earth beneath my feet,
Feel the sun, warm and glowing!
I Dance across the world,
Leaping over roots and flowers,
Through dappling tree-shade on and on...
Until –
Calm glade,
Silver sun limns the leaves,
Hovers,
golden,
SHOUTING it’s peace –
And sinks… and fades…
Hunting –
chasing fleet-foot-prey,
Chase and chase
And feel the hot young blood
Pounding,
Thundering,
Crying out the joys of Life,
young and urgent.
Until next time – “here comes Treble!”
By Isabel Bradley
copyright reserved ©
