On March 11, the violist Lawrence Power and the Brussels Philharmonic, under the direction of Ilan Volkov, gave the world première of Cassandra Miller's I cannot love without trembling, as part of the Klarafestival in Belgium. A stream is temporarily online, and it demands to be heard — start around one hour and one minute in. The title comes from Simone Weil: "Human existence is so fragile a thing and exposed to such dangers that I cannot love without trembling." The melodic material is based on the moirologia laments of the women of Epirus, as interpreted by the early twentieth-century Greek-American fiddler Alexis Zoumbas. Miller writes: "Using one of [Zoumbas's] moiroloi recordings as a source, I sang along many times (first to Zoumbas, then to myself) in a ritualized, meditative process I call ‘automatic singing.' This method transformed the moiroloi into the violist’s trembling-loving-mourning sighs. Within Zoumbas’ plaintive song, I sought a metaphysical space in which to dream – a space of separation-connection-absence-presence – in the hope to lament and to dream together in this hall tonight." At first hearing — and at second, and at third — the results are immensely beautiful and immensely haunting.
Wagnerism
Stay, little Alban Berg Valentine, stay
PAINTER: You are mine, I have nothing more since I have you. I am entirely lost to you.
LULU: Don't get so excited.
— Lulu, Act I
Previously: An Alban Berg Valentine, Another Alban Berg Valentine, Yet Another Alban Berg Valentine, Return of Alban Berg Valentine, Nothing says forever like an Alban Berg Valentine, Alban Berg Valentine (10th anniversary edition), Alban Berg Valentine (2017 edition), Will you be my Alban Berg Valentine?, Eternity, by Alban Berg Valentine, My Bloody Alban Berg Valentine, Saint Alban Berg Valentine's Day Massacre, It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without Alban Berg Valentine.
Editor's note: Everyone here at Alban Berg Valentine was tremendously pleased by our recent mention in the New York Times. Much thanks to Melissa Clark of the Cooking section.
Friedrich Cerha in memoriam.
