Thom Ritter GeorgeTHE PEOPLE, YES, CN 286 (1976)
PROGRAM NOTES
Thom Ritter George composed The People, Yes between Fall 1975 and early 1976. The text of the work was taken from Carl Sandburg's great poem, The People, Yes, originally published in 1936. The composer selected portions of Sandburg's work (the complete poem runs nearly 200 pages in length) which conveyed the main ideas of the whole and which would be appropriate for sung presentation. The composition was written to celebrate America's bicentennial.
George's composition is in ten movements. These are -
1 The People, Yes
2 You can drum
3 In an old French town
4 Sleep
5 Oh angel
6 One memorial stone
7 The sea rolls
8 The sea moves
9 The sea has fish
10 The people know
The scoring is for vocal soloists, chorus, and large orchestra. Through his music, Dr. George has attempted to amplify the large range of intensity conveyed in Sandburg's words, some sections being impressive and colorful, other being soft and introspective. Of particular interest is the use of special orchestral instruments and devices such as glockenspiel, celesta, off-stage flute and horn.
Thom Ritter George conducted the vocal soloists, the Quincy Symphony Orchestra, and the Quincy Symphony Chorus in the first performance on February 25, 1976.
The vocal parts and instrumentation for The People, Yes are mezzo-soprano, tenor, and baritone soloists; SATB chorus; three flutes (3rd alternates piccolo), three oboes (3rd alternates English horn), three clarinets (3rd alternated bass clarinet), two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, piano/celesta, harp, and strings.
(TRGcm:2008.09.10)