Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

Angela Elizabeth Slater: Ways of Looking at a Blackbird for soprano and string quartet 

Ways of Looking at a Blackbird sets a selection of Wallace Stevens’ haikus from Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. Taking a different approach to my normal compositional practice I have strived to capture the miniature form with short movements bookmarked by shorter preludes to each movement. The prelude to each movement takes its text from the final poem of the set, acting as bookmarks between movements. These preludes culminate in the final movement IV The Edge. The set is permeated by references to the musical contours and gestures of the Blackbird song. Three Minds makes particular reference to blackbird song, with references to three different types of call – the song, alarm and flight calls – musically referencing the imagery of three minds and three blackbirds from the poem.                           © Angela Elizabeth Slater (2019)