Smoke Sung Sorrows
for Reed Quintet
8 min
“Smoke Sung Sorrows” is a reed quintet directly inspired by Charles Bukowski’s poem, “Bluebird.” This poem address how the guise of masculinity has often been used to hide the deeply sensitive and vulnerable parts of a man. It presents the internal dispute that many men of Bukowski’s time (the 50's-80's) experienced; this feeling that vulnerability and free expression would result in embarrassment and ostracization, ultimately leading to a patriarchal and toxic understanding of how men should go about intimate relationships. The effects of such mindsets are still felt and very much active today...
Having felt and witnessed these cycles of toxicity, the poem spoke deeply to me. I set out to write a piece that highlights the journey of someone working through these issues, trying to break out of these preconceived cages that they’re set into. However, once they break out they ultimately fall back into a similar state they were in before. But there is something different in retrospect. There is a hint of joy, a sense that the world is lighter than before. There is hope that maybe some day they may break free completely. Utilizing jazz harmony, emphasis on voicing/spacing, and deep focus on tension/release, “Smoke Sung Sorrows” aims to paint this picture through the beautiful sonorities provided by the oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon, and bass clarinet.