FRANK STEMPER, COMPOSER
Global Warning (2007)
for solo piano [8 mins.]
Commissioned by pianist Junghwa Lee
Premiered 27 February 2008 by Junghwa Lee in Orleans, France;
American Premiere 21 June 2008 at Carnegie Hall.
Opus 60 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 371613193
SCORE
Premiered 27 February 2008 by Junghwa Lee in Orleans, France;
American Premiere 21 June 2008 at Carnegie Hall.
Opus 60 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 371613193
SCORE
PROGRAM NOTES:
Global Warning (2007) Is there anything a composer can do about the tangible realities of the world? Writing music does little to feed the poor, influence the abhorrence of racism, or appease international conflicts that lead to war. And if only there was a snappy tune that could reverse our current course of environmental disaster. The human species’ selfishness and greed is a reality which is fueled by its leaders, who have the talent to positively influence the concrete world but rarely use it for that purpose. I guess humanity’s pattern and course is set and will eventually play itself out.
This seems hopeless, and I doubt if this snappy tune will change anything. But actually, music may be the only thing that can help.
Global Warning (2007) Is there anything a composer can do about the tangible realities of the world? Writing music does little to feed the poor, influence the abhorrence of racism, or appease international conflicts that lead to war. And if only there was a snappy tune that could reverse our current course of environmental disaster. The human species’ selfishness and greed is a reality which is fueled by its leaders, who have the talent to positively influence the concrete world but rarely use it for that purpose. I guess humanity’s pattern and course is set and will eventually play itself out.
This seems hopeless, and I doubt if this snappy tune will change anything. But actually, music may be the only thing that can help.
Albert Einstein
defined “insanity” as: “…doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
George Carlin
tells us that it is "conceit and arrogance" that humans think we can “save the planet.”
And he gets a big laugh when says that "the planet will be just fine, it's the people who are f**cked!"
This ought to be proof enough that our species is self-absorbed and self-destructive. If this is true, we should undoubted add “not as intelligent as we would like to think” to this list of not very complementary tendencies of our species.
defined “insanity” as: “…doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
George Carlin
tells us that it is "conceit and arrogance" that humans think we can “save the planet.”
And he gets a big laugh when says that "the planet will be just fine, it's the people who are f**cked!"
This ought to be proof enough that our species is self-absorbed and self-destructive. If this is true, we should undoubted add “not as intelligent as we would like to think” to this list of not very complementary tendencies of our species.
PRESS NOTICE
GLOBAL WARNING
—performed by Junghwa Lee
"The opening work, Global Warning, matches (I would guess as a non-pianist) the legendary diffi- culty level of Ives’s “Concord” Sonata or Richard Meale’s Corruscations. There are simply notes all over the keyboard. The substance of the piece is there nonetheless: It is anything but an assemblage of random notes, but displays forward momentum, discernible structure, and a quality that I term “flow,” or compel- ling continuity in the music. The rationale of the piece is the composer’s conviction that humankind is hell- bent on self-destruction. He wisely questions whether a musical work can cause us to reverse course (as a Christian, I would aver that such things as our self-destruction are not in our hands, but in God’s), but his convictions and concerns drive him to compose, as they do me, and I would guess virtually every other composer out there. I cannot imagine there are too many of our species that are simply satisfied to write a piece of music as music per se, without some extra-musical considerations in mind. In any case, Stemper sees at least the possibility that music can be a palliative for the human race, and in that, I would agree with him. Global Warning will sound angry to some, but I hear it more in the terms that I believe its composer meant—as a heartfelt plea for self-preservation."
David DeBoor Canfield
Fanfare vol. 39, No. 1 2015
GLOBAL WARNING
—performed by Junghwa Lee
"The opening work, Global Warning, matches (I would guess as a non-pianist) the legendary diffi- culty level of Ives’s “Concord” Sonata or Richard Meale’s Corruscations. There are simply notes all over the keyboard. The substance of the piece is there nonetheless: It is anything but an assemblage of random notes, but displays forward momentum, discernible structure, and a quality that I term “flow,” or compel- ling continuity in the music. The rationale of the piece is the composer’s conviction that humankind is hell- bent on self-destruction. He wisely questions whether a musical work can cause us to reverse course (as a Christian, I would aver that such things as our self-destruction are not in our hands, but in God’s), but his convictions and concerns drive him to compose, as they do me, and I would guess virtually every other composer out there. I cannot imagine there are too many of our species that are simply satisfied to write a piece of music as music per se, without some extra-musical considerations in mind. In any case, Stemper sees at least the possibility that music can be a palliative for the human race, and in that, I would agree with him. Global Warning will sound angry to some, but I hear it more in the terms that I believe its composer meant—as a heartfelt plea for self-preservation."
David DeBoor Canfield
Fanfare vol. 39, No. 1 2015