“ ...Mr. Burwasser seems to stake out his territory with facility and clear purpose... All (the songs) are emotionally charged and, thank heavens, refreshingly lyrical. We immediately enjoyed the evocative undulations and the asymmetrical form of the last song best, but the other two also captured ideas expressed in the poems beautifully, such as the unbridled tempo in the first and the descending (falling leaf) scales of number two”.
--Barry L. Cohen, The New Music Connoisseur, Vol.6, No.2

TORRENTS
Music by Daniel Burwasser
Poems by Ilsa Gilbert
1. Wild Beast
2. Winter Leaves (1:22)
3. The Mediterranean Sea (6:08)

I chose these three poems on the basis of their dramatic imagery and expressivity, -- and more importantly, their highly “musical” qualities -- traits that I find most attractive in Ilsa Gilbert’s work. The idea to string these particular poems together was of my own volition, but the specific order in which they appear in the work came at the suggestion of Ilsa, who also came up with the apt title, TORRENTS.

The mood of each song gradually progresses from cynicism to optimism. From the tormented struggle of Wild Beast to the process of aging and acceptance of death in Winter Leaves to renewal and the affirmation of life in The Mediterranean Sea. These themes are universal. TORRENTS evokes an abundance of emotions all derived from the human spirit.

-- Daniel Burwasser

From the poet, Ilsa Gilbert:

Poems that speak of matters of the heart,
and loves dawning or ending,
Nature’s snares and nature’s [bountiful](sic) gifts;
the changing of the seasons that prompts changing of the guard
or the reflections on the meaning of age,
or its implications at different stages -
and finally, the beauty of life that dawns upon us,
catching us unaware but eager to recapture its joys,
once brilliant and now faded,
eager to see life’s beauty anew,
even if we have become jaded.

--Ilsa Gilbert

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The composition of TORRENTS was made possible by funding from Meet the Composer

Score and parts available here:
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