American art songs emerged within the context of immigration, showcasing the fusion and development of diverse ethnicities, cultures, and musical traditions. Against this historical backdrop, American composer Daron Aric Hagen created the art song cyc...
American art songs emerged within the context of immigration, showcasing the fusion and development of diverse ethnicities, cultures, and musical traditions. Against this historical backdrop, American composer Daron Aric Hagen created the art song cycle <!-- Not Allowed Tag Filtered --><Merrill Songs> based on the poetry collection 「A Scattering of Salts」. This work exemplifies a rich amalgamation of various musical styles, integrating elements of both traditional and contemporary techniques. 「A Scattering of Salts」, a compilation of James Merrill's philosophical poetry, delves deeply into reflections on life and death. Raised in the elite circles of American society, Merrill cultivated a unique inner world, evident in his poetry’s dense symbolism and intricate metaphors, which often challenge readers' understanding. The collection’s title, 「A Scattering of Salts」, carries multilayered symbolism, encapsulating themes central to Merrill's life as a gay man—such as 'love' as both salvation and a force leading to his demise. These symbolic meanings permeate the collection, with Merrill’s refined verses embodying profound philosophical contemplation.
On a poetic level, the individual poems are interconnected, and the eight songs in the cycle convey the cyclical nature of life and death through a circular structure. Hagen diverged from the original sequence and form of the poems, instead reinterpreting and reconstructing them to ensure the meanings of the words are more vividly conveyed when sung on stage. Musically, Hagen employs motivic repetition within each vocal line to illustrate key symbolic meanings from the poems. Unlike composition methods emphasizing vertical harmonic progression, Hagen’s work prioritizes horizontal melodic development, characterized by a polyphonic structure with contrapuntal imitation among the parts. Tonally, while certain sections hint at tonal systems, the majority of the songs are atonal. The accompaniment takes on a leading role, presenting primary motifs rather than merely supporting the vocal line. Through repeated ostinatos, the vocal and piano parts exchange melodies as equal partners, forming an intricate ensemble.
This study reveals that Hagen thoroughly immersed himself in the textual and philosophical essence of Merrill's poetry before composing. By embedding his unique interpretations, Hagen reimagined the poetry musically, allowing Merrill’s world to be effectively expressed on stage. Hagen’s exceptional compositional techniques and his profound emotional insights expand and elevate the inner vitality of Merrill’s poetry through the language of music, achieving a distinctive artistic expression. It is hoped that this research will serve as a valuable resource for future performances and academic studies of Hagen’s art songs.
Keywords: 20th-century American art songs, Daron Aric Hagen, James Merrill, <!-- Not Allowed Tag Filtered --><Merrill Songs>,「A Scattering of Salts」