Chelsea Komschlies

About the Composition:

When I approached composing this work, I first began by soaking in the story told by Anthony Corvaia’s compiled texts. The libretto comes from varied sources, authors, and eras, but it tells a coherent message: do not worry, lean on God. Parts of the journey will be hard, but God is enough. The design of Tony’s libretto, with interleaved chorale verses and Bach organ preludes on the same tune, tie the piece together and help it stay rooted in a place that is Bach at its heart, even when the texts and musical styles venture from that origin. Bach’s music always reminds me of a well-tuned clockwork device or intricate lace pattern in which everything fits perfectly together. In composing, I imagined I was weaving additional layers of filigree onto this existing structure. The music contains moments that remember old Protestant liturgical responses blended into eerie polymodal backdrops, a section inspired by Appalachian Sacred Harp singing, the dark brightness of 19th century German opera, and many other styles, all woven into Bach.