Cascadia Composers begins its 2024-25 season with a singular evening combining the evocative music of Walter Saul with the stunning fabric art of North Carolina artist Ann Harwell.
Saul’s music, by turns playful and joyful, and somber and reflective, brings to life the stories behind Harwell’s art, each artist adding layers to the other’s vision, creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
The work, a musical tour of 114 quilts, takes its form from the galleries of the quilt catalogue: Earth, Kaleidoscope, Sun Quilts, and Astronomy. Within the galleries are progressions from man-made structures (churches, cathedrals, cities) to trees, and from grand natural scenery to the delicate intimacy of flowers. Humans live in this world: the remarkable Elephant Man quilt, Joseph Carey Merrick, depicts the nobility and beauty of humanity and God’s love and care for “the least” of us. And this universe extends from a Lunar Eclipse on our doorstep, out to V838 Monocerotis and the Butterfly Nebula, many light years distant.
Performed by Walter Saul (piano), Jane Shelly (flute), and Daphne Saul (voice), the music, alone, would be an inspiring experience, but combined with the art quilts projected on a large screen, this will be a journey not to be missed.
“Here is sacred music that, instead of remaining hushed and devotional, kicks up a storm…” David Stabler, The Oregonian
“…these unpretentious, succinct, inventive, and extremely accessible pieces are bound to delight both pianists and audiences.” Jed Distler, Classics Today
“…Saul’s music certainly seems to be tightly constructed, by which I mean that there seems not to be a note too many … the music of Walter Saul is entertaining, stimulating, and uplifting
… stunningly beautiful: this is clearly music from the heart.” Colin Clarke, Fanfare
