David Heinick, composer
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Chiaroscuro for soprano, mezzo-soprano and piano (2012)

texts by Walter Nobile

i    Bianco su Bianco
ii   Palinsesto
iii  Chiaroscuro
iv   Monologo Muto

12-13 minutes

    In 2009, I presented a recital of some of my vocal music in Potsdam.  A few days later, I got a phone call from a local resident named Walter Nobile who wondered if I might be interested in setting some of his poetry.  Having never heard his name before, I was apprehensive, but agreed to meet him.  When we got together, he showed me his book of poems--which was in Italian, a language I've never studied.  We talked for a while, and I agreed to take a look at his work.  As it turned out, Walter is a classical scholar as well as a gifted poet; his poems were quite modern and appealing.  The outer two works use quasi-impressionistic harmony, while the inner two are more chromatic and dissonant; the title Chiaroscuro seemed perfect for the set.