The Tree
The imagery of an aged and gnarled tree writhing and reaching, bending and bowing, communicates something about long life lived, a life inevitably marked by tension and struggle. The sinewy “Cypresses” by Van Gogh captures much of this sentiment; the swirl of the branches in the wind ripples through the entire painting—the reverberation of growth and life in every brush stroke.
A straightforward musical representation of the painting is not the goal of this piece. The music is an interpretation of the sentiment behind struggled growth and the vibrant rhythms of life. Breath from the organ and brass pulsate with life in the music like Van Gogh’s vision of light and color vividly play on the strange but lifelike canvas. The image of a tree becomes the idea of a tree; life marked by pain, life burnished by joy, life seeking to flourish and live.
DATE
2020DURATION
10 minutesINSTRUMENTATION
HornOrgan
ALTERNATE INSTRUMENTATION
TrumpetOrgan
COMMISSION
Bryan AndersonPREMIERE
February 28, 2020Central Christian Church
Springfield, MO
Bob Smither (tpt.), Bryan Anderson (org.)