Four Virginian Ballads on Themes of Human Weakness
(accompanying text by Combor)
Traditional ballads as they appear in two volumes edited by Arthur Kyle Davis, Jr. (and heard on various recordings) inspired the first three movements, while the last movement was inspired by folktales found in Virginia Folk Legends, edited by Thomas E. Barden.
The four movements each deal in turn with a form of human weakness. The first, “The Two Sisters,” deals with jealousy.
Two loving sisters walked to the salt sea brim
–Oh, the wind and rain
One pushed the other in to the waters waters deep
–and she cried a dreadful wind and rain…
The second, “Pretty Polly and the Elf Knight” deals with treachery.
She jumped upon the bonny, bonny brown,
And he the piebald bay,
And rode along by the broad water side…
The third, “The Mermaid,” deals with fear.
the captain spied a mermaid fair with a comb and a glass in her hand.
Oh, the ocean waves they roll, and the stormy winds they blow…
The fourth, “A Performing Artist Meets his Spirit Dog” deals with vanity.
There stood a big, black dog. It had eyes as big as saucers, and they looked like balls of fire.
After composing the music, I had the idea to contact an old friend I knew during my time living in France, an elusive poet known as Combor. I spent much time trying to track him down. When after several months I finally reached him, he welcomed my invitation to write and record spoken word to dramatize/accompany the music, using the ballads’ stories and images as a springboard. I set simple parameters and he provided text – the music by then was already composed. He and I interacted very little during this process. I was astounded how beautifully the words fit the music, and I’m forever grateful for his contribution.