J. Kimo Williams - Composers Notes: With Malice Toward None (13 min)
PERIOD 1: Period 1: Part Two / Period 1: Refrain
PERIOD 2: Period 2: Part Two
PERIOD 3
In March 2020, I was commissioned by The Apollo Chamber Players to write a work for Electric Violin and String Quartet for their Beethoven 250th Celebration Program. I saw this as a challenge that fits right in with my approach to composition. Many different genres of music have influenced my composing style, and many times those genres overlap in a single work. Not purposeful by technical design but by what feels right for me and my emotional state at that specific time.
With this work, I wanted to find, through my compositional voice, a way to speak to the current social and cultural climate we now face. I see a commonality with Beethoven, who, as a composer, was never fully understood during his life. He lived during the Age of Enlightenment (American Revolution, French Revolution), and those tumultuous times shaped his approach to life and conversely, his musical purpose. Many thought his music to be quite unorthodox. To use the terminology of today, he was a Liberal in a Conservative world (Vienna). The Conservative audiences did not appreciate his underlining premise of composing provocative music. They felt they were being forced to think what the music was about instead of enjoying a pleasant, entertaining tune as with Haydn and Mozart before him. Beethoven took his audiences on artistic journeys with thematic descriptions using innovative tonalities. This approach to composition became the basis of most composers who followed him and continues to this day. The famous conductor Nikolaus Harnancourt has said in part of Beethoven's 5th, "This is not music; it is political agitation." Political Agitation was just one of the motivations that inspired Beethoven to compose. He felt that his musical expression could affect change - Hence my inspiration to write this piece.
I took a trip to Washington, DC, in 1980, and like so many visitors, went to see the Lincoln Memorial. I happened to take a photo just as a dark-skinned maintenance worker swept the steps directly in front of Lincoln's downward gaze. It struck me as ironic at the time, almost wryly comical. But that was 1982. In 2019, I went through my photo archives and came upon this image, forgetting that I had captured such a moment in time. Due to the political and social upheaval, we are currently experiencing, and I felt an emotional lighting bolt hit me when I saw this photo. I found myself confused with exactly how I was feeling, not knowing what it was about the picture that had me mesmerized. I tried to come to terms with my emotions and contemplated how to title it (as I now own a Gallery showing my photographs). As I thought back to life in the 1980s, any sense of irony was replaced with tragedy, and for the first time, putting myself in the thoughts of this man, I was curious if he felt belittled, or honored, to be cleaning this sacred space? And if I were Lincoln, would I wonder if the war actually brought freedom and coexistence and if the steps below me were being swept by someone who felt that this was the land of honor and equal justice.
After four decades, I am convinced that seeing a dark-skinned man sweep the entry to this symbol of equality isn't just a coincidence or a metaphor.
The eternal features of Lincoln and the fleeting faces of us here today are juxtaposed in my old photo, along with the new perspective of my experiences. For that reason, I used Lincoln's famous phrase, "With Malice Toward None," as the title of that photo, and for the title of this composition.
I composed this q
uartet, breaking it into three Periods reminiscent of how Beethoven's works were divided. The timbres and purpose of each Period have no connection to the works of Beethoven*. I only use them to separate different expressive ideas within the score as just one of my connection to Beethoven.
*Within this work I do however quote in exact note order, Beethovens' first motif for his Opus 18, String Quartet No6, 4th Movement and his Symphony No.9, 1st Movement. From my perspective, these two movements represent the essence of the uniqueness that was Beethoven.
The below descriptions associated with "With Malice Towards None" are specific to my thoughts while writing the music both from researching the life of Beethoven and by connecting his persona to the world we are living in today. I am not intending to infuse a programmatic approach to this score only to impart what my inspiration was as I was composing.
PERIOD 1
The First Period is centered around a G dominate seventh (with an added flat third tonality to give a sense of tension) tonality. I usually do not indicate a key tonality with a key signature as I do not compose thinking in particular keys. However, if a modulation occurs, I will introduce the key change with a key signature as it helps the performer slightly adjust the intricacies of the modulation.
This first section begins with a short contrapuntal announcement leading to a tutti resolving to a G7 (with an added 9 resolving the flatted 3rd). This leads to the main theme in G7 (with a flatted 3rd and flatted 5th) in a 3 ½ /4 meter. The underlining syncopated rhythm that supports the melody is reminiscent of my progressive rock days. This central theme I see as conversational about the ordinary status quo without much adversity.
PERIOD 1 - Part Two:
Period 1, Part Two in C minor 7 b5 opens as a Sfzsondo surprise - a diversion from the ordinary. Then another contrapuntal announcement is introduced with the main motif beginning on the note Eb and ending on F. This central motif is then developed into several variational settings suggesting the many diversions that impact everyday life, and sometimes the same distractions come and go.
This section concludes with the central theme in halftime and played legato then modulating from C-7b5 to G7.
PERIOD 1 - Refrain:
Period 1 (Refrain) repeats the first contrapuntal theme to suggest a reaffirmation that the diversions were only temporary.
PERIOD 2
Period 2 begins with a pizzicato strutting rhythm introduced in a C dominant seventh tonality. This confident "uppity" type rhythmic motif is displacing the status quo world of the ordinary. The violins accompany the strut if only to add a little elegance. An emotionally charged melody slams onto the rhythmic ostinato and makes a point of arrival and a "take me as I am or get out of the way" attitude. This melody is repeated and leads to an off-beat pizzicato melody in the violins that confronts the strut and creates a kind of back and forth conversation. Period II ends as the strut motif dissipates to pianissimo, and the Period ends with a full ensemble pizzicato fortissimo.
PERIOD 2 - Part Two:
The entire ensemble begins con sordino (with mute). This section is a Memoriam dirge to those who challenged the status quo to effect change for humanity's common good and are no longer with us.
PERIOD 3
Protest! Protest! This section opens with a full A minor (add seventh) double forte triple stop, for each instrument. The "protest" yell is reflected in the two-quarter notes on beat one and two and a half note rest in the first two measures. The entrance of the sixteenth note theme is argumentative as it tries to convey a need for change.
Each section of Period 3 suggests a different argument for change. It includes a rebuttal for "that's just the ways things are," as suggested by the only notated key change in the entire composition (to C minor). In this pizzicato section, a rhythmic syncopation motif similar to Period 2 is introduced to suggest once again compromising conversations between forces for and against. The work ends with a breakdown of cordial conversations. There is a modulation to the original A minor key. The sixteenth note theme for change is repeated contrapuntally and then in full ensemble unison, ending with the quarter note opening yell, PROTEST! PROTEST!