River of Horses

"Baudelaire's famous poem, La Chevelure, is adapted to serve as an ode to a horse, and the cycle begins exuberantly. A different portrait is painted in A Blessing by James Wright—of "two Indian ponies" and their loving natures. A sense of hypnotic calm is created by the piano's repetitive accompaniment under the soprano's soaring lines. A Birth, by James Dickey, speaks to the power of imagination and memory. The music flows with changing meters and tempi. The War God's Horse Song, based on a traditional Navajo song, is another tribute to the majesty of horses. The music is quick and spirited, with voice and piano joyously tumbling through a multitude of meters. The cycle concludes with Two Horses Playing in the Orchard by James Wright. The vocal line is distinguished by the melismatic word settings and a wordless hummed refrain." (Lori Laitman)