ENS.2008.6 | 20′
Poem by John Ashbery
Bass-baritone & 3 Baritone Saxophones, Drums
Girls On the Run
Henry Darger has inspired many works of art in the decades since his extraordinary books and paintings were first discovered, one of the most important being John Ashbery’s book-length poem Girls on the Run. In this composition I set selections from Ashbery’s poem for baritone, three saxophones, and drums in a style intended to recall Michael Nyman on the one hand and Richie Hawtin on the other without actually sounding too much like either. Five years after first completing Girls on the Run I cut more than ten minutes from the piece, revising and reworking the piece to create a stronger structure and more focused sound world.