Dominick DiOrio

Flames Will Grow

• Instrumentation: mezzo-soprano, alto saxophone, and piano
• Completed: May 2013
• Duration: 9 minutes
• Texts: Rumi (1207-1273)
• Video:
  • Flames Will Grow
• Audio:
  • Flames Will Grow
    
    

    Allison Dromgold Adams, alto saxophone 
    Liz Bouk, mezzo-soprano
    Kevin Class, piano

• Commission and Dedication:

  Allison Dromgold Adams and Liz Bouk

• Program Note:

  Flames Will Grow is an exploration of grief, anger, emptiness, and the various many emotions that accompany the pain of broken love. Rumi’s ancient text portrays a visceral anguish that is still very much a part of our human experience of intimate connection. In my musical setting, I attempt to paint these words with a plethora of extended techniques for both the alto saxophone (key clicks, multiphonics, bisbigliando, flutter tonguing, growl, singing into the instrument while playing, quarter tones) and for the voice (Sprechstimme, glissandi, spoken text, chest voice, wide vibrato, straight tone). The pianist and saxophonist also speak at various times, adding another dimension of depth to the sonic palette.

  This work was commissioned by and is dedicated affectionately to both saxophonist Allison Dromgold Adams and her brother: mezzo-soprano Liz Bouk. Allison and I were classmates together at the Ithaca College School of Music from 2002-2006. It is an absolute delight to create this new music for Liz and Allison, ten years after Allison and I first met as students in upstate New York. I am so grateful for their adventurous spirits and ever-curious pursuit of new sounds and combinations, out of which came this gritty and passionate work of art music.

  -- Dominick DiOrio

  how long
  can i lament
  with this depressed
  heart and soul
  
  how long
  can i remain
  a sad autumn
  ever since my grief
  has shed my leaves
  
  the entire space
  of my soul
  is burning in agony
  
  how long can i
  hide the flames
  wanting to rise
  out of this fire
  
  how long can one suffer
  the pain of hatred
  of another human
  a friend behaving like an enemy

  with a broken heart
  how much more
  can i take the message
  from body to soul
  
  i believe in love
  i swear by love
  believe me my love
  
  how long
  like a prisoner of grief
  can i beg for mercy
  
  you know i'm not
  a piece of rock or steel
  but hearing my story
  even water will become
  as tense as a stone
  
  if i can only recount
  the story of my life
  right out of my body
  flames will grow

• Performances:
  • October 9, 2013 (premiere)
    Allison Dromgold Adams, alto saxophone; Liz Bouk, mezzo-soprano; Kevin Class, piano 
    UT Knoxville School of Music - Knoxville, TN
  • March 21, 2014
    Allison Dromgold Adams, alto saxophone; Liz Bouk, mezzo-soprano; Kevin Class, piano
    Featured performance at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference
    Krannert Center for the Performing Arts 
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Champaign, IL 
  • April 13, 2017
    Jeremy Jackson, alto saxophone; Rebekah Mansfield, soprano; Stephen Downing, piano
    UTM Contemporary Music Group
    University of Tennessee at Martin - Martin, TN
  • September 25, 2019
    Allison Adams, alto saxophone; Liz Bouk, mezzo-soprano; Andrea Lodge, piano
    Performing Arts Center - Adelphi University
    Garden City, NY
  • September 28, 2019
    Allison Adams, alto saxophone; Liz Bouk, mezzo-soprano; Andrea Lodge, piano
    Spectrum
    Brooklyn, New York City, NY