In terms of the presentation of the score, I like the specificity of Rand’s directions. He provides various cues ranging from which instruments to use at certain times, to determining special musical effects. Also, his inclusion of large time signatures makes it easier for the instrumentalists to follow the music.
The texts for Canti del sole create an equallyintriguing cyclical framework. Although the fourteen poems that comprise the work might initially seem unrelated because they are in different languages (Italian, English, French and German), they share similar thematic material: Nature and Humanity, various perceptions of the Sun, etc. They are also mostly linked by The Dawn Verse and Sunset Verse by D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), which appear towards the beginning and end of the score.
Bearing this in mind, the music for this work serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, it maintains the overall ethereal and primal tones of the poems through short interludes. On the other, it heightens the specific texts in question. Canti del sole features frequent instances of word painting at varying lengths. Slight pauses are used in The Dawn Verse and Sunset Verse before the line, “Then be silent.” A better example can be seen in the passage from The Masque of the Twelve Months (mm. 99-124). Here, the chamber ensemble and Tenor soloist attempt to portray the context of the words as closely as possible. On the word “freezes,” the ensemble plays rapid tremolos. Similarly, the Tenor soloist utilizes the vocal technique of “Sprechstimme” (“Speech Singing”) for harsh words such as “howls,” “bite” and “quaking.”
With regards to timbre, Canti del sole appears to utilize both Tonality and Atonality (perhaps Serialism as well) depending on the specific poem in the cycle. At times, certain passages recall Alban Berg’s music, particularly in I Turn the Corner of Prayer and Burn. The atonal soundscape works because it matches the context of the poem: someone standing in the heat of the Sun longing for shade. By contrast, the following poem (Sinisgalli) shifts character and utilizes a sparse, tonal texture. This is appropriate considering that this poem explores insects (hornets) drinking pear nectar.