Andrew Martin Smith

(dys)lexical trans(fer)mission (2020)

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soprano voice and woodwind quintet (fl., ob., cl., hn., bsn.)
Andrew Martin Smith ยท (dys)lexical trans(fer)mission
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Kristi Matson, soprano
Jaimie Wagner, flute
Chris Wheeler, oboe
Andrew Sprung, clarinet
Alan Taplin, horn
Cynthia Duda, bassoon

Recorded live. March 30, 2022
Conrad Recital Hall | Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI
Picture
Kristi Matson, Alan Taplin, Chris Wheeler, Jaimie Wagner, Cynthia Duda, and Andrew Sprung with composers Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith at the premiere performance in Hillsdale, MI. (4/11/22)

Program Note

Commissioned by the Hillsdale College Faculty Woodwind Quintet with soprano Kristi Matson in the 2019/20 Academic Year, (dys)lexical trans(fer)mission is a quasi-dramatic set of musical variations based upon the composer’s own text, which abstractly describes an artist’s process and the frustrations inherent in managing creative thoughts and impulses. The text is gradually altered throughout the composition by means of literary/poetic techniques embraced by the Ouvroir de littérature potentielle (i.e., Oulipo), as the protagonist searches for the “right” words to capture an ephemeral idea. Specifically, the "N" substitution procedure determines the replacement of selected nouns from the original poem with words, of the same grammatical function, located "N" positions away in an English Dictionary. This iterative process transforms the initial text into something that invites the audience to contemplate the potential meaning of grammatically similar, yet syntactically mysterious, poetic structures.

Poem

"Creativity"
by Andrew Martin Smith
​
Creativity
My own, obsessive thoughts flow
Betrayed by the pen
At gloomy daybreak
That worn, wet paper crumpled
Too trite to be seen
Somewhere in the house
A beguiling, black cat purred
Dandy distraction
Sunny afternoon
That dreary, dry ink settled
Too tough to be cleaned
Late February
This hunched, haggard figure rose
Whilst watching the moon

Full Text

Theme:
​

Creativity
My own, obsessive thoughts flow
Betrayed by the pen
At gloomy daybreak
That worn, wet paper crumpled
Too trite to be seen
Somewhere in the house
A beguiling, black cat purred
Dandy distraction
Sunny afternoon
That dreary, dry ink settled
Too tough to be cleaned
Late February
This hunched, haggard figure rose
Whilst watching the moon

​
Variation I:

Creativity
My own, obsessive thrashes flow
At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet paperback crumpled
Trite to be seen too
Somewhere on the houseboat
A beguiling, black cataclysm purred
Dandy distress
Sunny aftertaste
That dreary, dry inkling settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard figurehead rose
Whilst watching a moonbeam

​
Variation II:

Creativity
My own, obsessive threads flow
At gloomy daybreak
To be seen too trite
A beguiling, black catacomb purred
Sunny afterthought
That dreary, dry inkstand settled
Tough to be cleaned too
Late February
This hunched, haggard figurine rose
Whilst watching the moonlight

​
Variation III:

Creativity
My own, obsessive threats flow
At daybreak gloomy
Be seen too trite to
A beguiling, black catalogue purred
That dreary, dry inkwell settled
To be cleaned too tough
Late February
This hunched, haggard filament rose
Whilst watching the moor


Variation IV:

Creativity
Betrayed by the pencil
At gloomy daybreak
Somewhere in my housecoat
A beguiling, black catalyst purred
Sunny age
That dreary, dry inlay settled
Late February
Whilst watching the moorhen

​
Variation V:

Creativity
Betrayed by a pendant
At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet papyrus crumpled
Seen too trite to be
A beguiling, black catamaran purred
That dreary, dry inlet settled
Be cleaned too tough to
This hunched, haggard filibuster rose
Whilst watching the mooring


Variation VI:

Creativity
My own, obsessive thresholds flow
Betrayed by the pendulum
At gloomy daybreak
A beguiling, black catapult purred
Dandy disturbance
Sunny agenda
That dreary, dry inmate settled
Cleaned too tough to be
Late February
This hunched, haggard filler rose
Whilst watching the moorland


Variation VII:

Whilst watching a mop
Too tough to be cleaned
That dreary, dry inn settled
Somewhere in this household
Too trite to be seen
That worn, wet parable crumpled
At daybreak gloomy
My own, obsessive thrills flow
Creativity


Variation VIII:

Creativity
My own, obsessive thrillers flow
Betrayed by a penguin
At gloomy daybreak
A beguiling, black catastrophe purred
Dandy dither
Sunny agglomeration
That dreary, dry inning settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard filling rose


Variation IX:

Creativity
At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet parachute crumpled
Dandy ditty
Sunny aggregate
That dreary, dry innkeeper settled
Late February

​
Variation X:

Creativity
My own, obsessive thromboses flow
At gloomy daybreak
Sunny aggression
That dreary, dry innocent settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard filly rose
Whilst watching the moral


Variation XI:

Creativity
Betrayed by the penitentiary
At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet parade crumpled
A beguiling, black catechism purred
Sunny aggressor
That dreary, dry innovation settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard film rose


Variation XII:

Creativity
My own, obsessive throngs flow
Betrayed by the penknife
At gloomy daybreak
That worn, wet paradigm crumpled
A beguiling, black category purred
Sunny agitator
That dreary, dry innovator settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard filter rose


Variation XIII:

Creativity
My own, obsessive throttles flow
Betrayed by a pennant
At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet paradox crumpled
Dandy divergence
Sunny agnostic
That dreary, dry innuendo settled
Late February
Whilst watching the morality


Variation XIV:

Creativity
At gloomy daybreak
That worn, wet paragon crumpled
Somewhere on the houseplant
A beguiling, black caterpillar purred
Dandy diversion
Sunny agony
That dreary, dry inoculation settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard finale rose
Whilst watching the morass


Finale:

At daybreak gloomy
That worn, wet paragraph crumpled
Too trite to be seen
A beguiling, black caterwaul purred
Sunny agreement
That dreary, dry input settled
Late February
This hunched, haggard finalist rose
Whilst watching the moratorium…
...on creativity.

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