for SATB choir (div.) and piano
also available for TTBB (div.) and piano
duration c. 00:06:30
commissioned by Dean A. Genth and Gary W. Swenson for the Mason City High School Concert Choir and Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus Chamber Singers
Text:
Listen – text by Michael BetzListen!
Listen to the sound
What do you hear?
I hear an echo
An echo of my thoughts
Reflecting back your words
I long for silence
Give me silence
Give me peace
Silence
I heard a storm blow
I heard a storm blowing
Through the wilderness
And through the bitter wind
The sound of many voices
Crying out in fear
And now I hear a voice
Not calling from the storm but
Deep within myself
I know I have no choice
The time has come to salvage
Beauty from the mud
Picking up sticks and
Picking up stones
Scattered like arrows
Broken not on bones
But souls
(Resilient and scarred)
To build a shelter
Or a ladder to the sky
To lift your head
Above the clouds
And see the rain above
The one who shot the bow
And help them climb
The ladder too
For now I know the pen is
Mightier than the sword
The word is sharper than
The blade
I’ll climb the ladder and be brave enough to land
The fall
Through all this pain and fear
I have a recollection
Of how to empathize
And be aware
That all of us are broken
And all of us have cried
All of us have spoken truths and
All of us have lied
Understanding
How to stand above
The things beneath
Our will to love
Listen!
Commissioners’ Note:
When we asked Michael Betz to accept a commission for a composition about bullying, we were aware of the existing robust catalogue of quality choral works addressing this subject. But we envisioned something more, something deeper that would enable to listener to more fully understand the issue of bullying—from the victim’s standpoint, yet also from the vantage point of the perpetrator. After interviewing dozens of students from Iowa’s Mason City High School, his alma mater, Michael fashioned a work that combined gymnastic complexities of music and agile poetry of lyrics to let us know that there is no single meter, key signature, rhythm or style that will completely address the variegated social phenomenon called bullying. No simple, singular solution exists. But all paths forward, all journeys to understanding, all solutions to sadness begin with the same step: first and foremost, we must listen
Dean A. Genth
Gary W. Swenson
About the Piece:
When I was first approached by Dean and Gary about this commission in the summer of 2016, I found the subject matter and scope to be overwhelming. I felt that I had a charge to try to singlehandedly resolve the issue of bullying through a piece of music—a daunting task, to say the least. My original sketches and conceptual drafts could have easily resulted in a 12-minute work, as I wanted to appropriately explore every nuance relating to the subject.
I wanted to write something that wasn’t trite or didactic—something more timeless in nature that acknowledged the complexity of the issue at hand. Finding a text that fit these requirements was difficult. Much of the text about bullying is contemporary and not in the public domain, and tends to address bullying toward a specific group of people, as opposed to looking at it from a universal viewpoint. As such, I elected to write my own text. Early in the compositional process, I collected the thoughts of the MCHS Concert Choir. I sorted their words and phrases and saw recurring themes of compassion and understanding, which were guiding principles as I created the text, ultimately leading to the title: “Listen.”
Any opportunity to wield my art in a community-oriented way that might cause people to think about something differently is not only a great privilege but a welcome reminder of why I do what I do. I am honored to have been commissioned to write this piece and to be the conduit of this message.
Performance History:
| Date | Time | Location | Event | Performers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.18.20 | 3:00pm | First Congregational United Church of Christ, Mason City, IA | TCGMC in Mason City, IA to benefit One Iowa North | TCGMC Chamber Singers | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 3.29.20 | 4:00pm | Central Lutheran Church, Downtown Minneapolis | "Stigmata" - Benefit Concert | TCGMC Chamber Singers | Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 3.28.20 | 8:00pm | Ted Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota | "Erased" - Season Concert | TCGMC Chamber Singers | Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 3.27.20 | 8:00pm | Ted Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota | "Erased" - Season Concert | Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus Chamber Singers | Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 5.22.18 | 7:30pm | North Iowa Community Auditorium | Mason City High School Vocal Music Concert | MCHS Concert Choir |