Proverb

I first met Steve in 2005 at the Bang on a Can Summer Festival. I subsequently shared my most recent orchestra piece at that time with him - rewind - and to my delight I received an encouraging and thoughtful email back from him - an email that was perfectly timed as I was struggling to make ends meet as a composer (and florist, cleaner and cellist) in New York City.

One of the things I love about Steve’s music is that even when a work of his is written for a small ensemble, it often presents as music that would translate well to a larger, orchestral setting. I am thrilled that Steve was open to me arranging Proverb for orchestra and a wonderful aspect of the process was that it was a true collaboration.

Proverb is a piece that has travelled with me far and wide since first hearing it decades ago. The single line of text that forms the work - “How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life” - is a beautiful anchor for the piece. For this arrangement, my strategy was to transfer the voices to woodwinds, the electric organs to muted brass, and the vibraphones to both vibraphones and strings. From there, I wove other instrumental elements between them as musical glue.

Once I had a first draft I shared it with Steve, and he offered insightful and detailed feedback. From here we went back and forth with six iterations of the arrangement until we landed on the seventh and final version.

This is the first time that I have collaborated so closely with another composer. I’m honored that Steve trusted me with his music and to have an opportunity to say “thank you and Happy 90th Birthday!”

-Anna Clyne

I first met Anna in 2005, the year she wrote rewind which I just listened to again now, 20 years later. It’s completely assured, high energy, orchestrated with precision and a joy to listen to. She was then 25, but had completed her first work when she was 7- which begins to explain her mastery.

We have stayed in touch over the years and several months ago she suggested arranging my Proverb (1995) for orchestra. That immediately struck me as an excellent idea since I believe it is one of my best pieces, but being scored for five voices, two double manual electric organs and two vibraphones, it’s rarely performed. I knew the piece meant something to her and clearly she had the skill to orchestrate it beautifully.

What I didn’t know was that we would end up collaborating as soon as she sent me her first draft. Looking over our email exchanges there are detailed revisions going quickly back and forth between us for three weeks. Finally, by the seventh revision we were both really pleased and Proverb for orchestra was a reality.

Anna, I have never collaborated with another composer and so much enjoyed our thoughtful exchanges. Thank you - now Proverb has a new life in the orchestra.

-Steve Reich