What Room Does Fear Have
What Room Does Fear Have, composed by Sam Ritter (ASCAP)
Text by Jon Jorgensen, used by permission - adapted by the composer
Performed in Auer Hall at Indiana University, January 29th, 2019
Conducted by Sam Ritter
Visit samrittermusic.com for more information.
Subtitles included in closed captioning button.
This work is made up of two main sections. The first is led by the horns personifying the growing presence of fear: mysterious, unknown, and full of sorrow. A solo mezzo-soprano joins the texture, revealing an autobiographical-like passage that ruminates on the pervasive and poisonous nature of fear. As this section progresses, the harmony becomes more and more disjunct, floating around as if searching for solidity. The soloist, with the chorus bolstering her words with their own, finally asks the gripping question, “What Room Does Fear Have?” This question outlines a tritone tonality: unresolved, broken, and empty.
After a startling grand pause, the strings lead the listener into the second half of the piece with a presentation of the same tritone motive from before. This time, the motive does not remain unsettled - it instead resolves into a consonant harmony. The tenors and basses then take over with a triumphant declamation, doubled by the celli and the horns. The chorus and soloist soon rejoin forces and enter into a cinematic and victorious outpouring of hope, listing in quick succession that which can overcome fear. During this section, the horns have been transformed: what was once fear is now joy and hope. The soloist takes one last moment of repose and reflection and unveils a setting of the text to the hymn tune that was present earlier in the piece. The closing section reveals a solo tenor voice that presents a verse from Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and I will give you rest.” A repeated horn call compliments this coda as the solo voices begin to sing in tandem, a union of peace and rest.
Text:
I used to be afraid at night. Afraid of the dark. Afraid that the darkness itself would surround me and swallow me up… as if darkness were anything more than simply the absence of light.
I used to be afraid of tomorrow. Afraid that who I was would continually dictate who I am, and that who I would be might be someone who I didn't like very much at all… as if there was no such thing as being made new.
I used to be afraid of opinions. Afraid that though words would not break my bones, they would certainly shatter my dreams… as if I started doing this for the approval of many rather than the glory of One.
I used to be afraid of failure. Afraid of losing. Afraid of falling.
I used to be afraid.
I kept coming up with the same exact question:
What room does fear have?
What room does fear have when I cling to trust? What room does fear have when I lean on hope? What room does fear have when I search for something more, when I discover what's good, and when I stand in awe? When I run with perseverance, when I walk by faith, and when I rest in comfort? What room does fear have when I sing with praise, when I take hold of inspiration, explore the possibilities, and step into freedom? What room does fear have when I discover strength, embrace courage, remember peace, declare truth, choose joy, experience life, and conquer death? What room does fear have when I find perfection in weakness?
What room does fear have when I step out of the darkness, and I bask in the light? When I let the past be the past and the future has no limit. And when failure is nothing more and nothing less than the road by which I walk my path to success.
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary, and I will give you rest.”
What room does fear have when I make room for love?
Jon Jorgensen
SOPRANO
Sara Dailey
Alana Duncan
Karli Forte
Paulina Francisco
Kia Frank
Annaka Grismer
Kelly Hamm
Melissa Hartman
Denique Isaac
Amane Machida
Mariam Osman
Leeza Yorke
Jingqi Zhu
ALTO
Elise Anderson
Hana J. Cai
Annie Crozier
Liz Culpepper
Annmarie Errico
Delora Mullens
Susan Powell
Sarah Rauch
Jenna Sears
Abigail York
TENOR
Stewart Duncan
John Griffith
Rodney Long
Joseph McBrayer
Brendan Mulkern
Michael Powell
John Punt
Ethan Udovich
Travis Whaley
BASS
Conner Allison
Joseph Calzada
Matthew Crozier
Ben Elliot
Duncan Holzhall
Jamie Kunselman
Luka Marinkovic
Matthias Murphy
Jono Palmer
Luke Robinson
VIOLIN I
Alexi Whitsel
Joshelle Conley
Austin Wu
Bryan Page
Monica Chen
VIOLIN II
Toby Elser
Svenja Staats
Carlota Clara
Leigha Amick
VIOLA
Marta Perrine
Anna Mach
Tison Savage
CELLO
Jennifer Jordan
Shuzo Hamada
Peter Lockman
Hannah Scarborough
BASS
Nick Blackburn
Joe Wandro
HORN
Mark Constantine
Ashlyn Christenson
MEZZO SOPRANO
Courtney Jameson
TENOR SOLO
Chris Albanese
Copyright 2019
