LOVE BEATS RAIN
by J. Clay Gonzalez
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an opera in one actDirected by: Christina Manceor
Performed by: Sean Campbell, alto saxophone Ledah Finck, violin Thomas Fortner, cello Chris Frick, piano Clifton Guidry III, bassoon Yoshi Horiguchi, bass Christina Manceor, percussion & voice Arlo Shultis & Mari Takeda, percussion Zach Travis, horn Audio recording by Edwin Huet __ Premiered on October 6th, 2016 Griswold Hall, Peabodoy Conservatory Baltimore, MD |
A seasoned farmer works alone. She plants long rows slowly in the early morning, and the ground
is wide and flat. She has been in this place for a long time. Above her, dark clouds loom, but on the horizon,
the orange glow of dawn is visible— a thin, clear strip of light between sky and earth, both black and heavy.
The still air stirs and the warm, humid breeze becomes cooler, drier. It starts to rain.
The rain is hard, soaking everything around her, soaking her clothes and her body, and as it rains
the sun comes up, and the sky is so clear, so far away to the east; it is incandescent, and the dark rain
pounds from above. There are colors, many colors, that don’t have names. She stands over the wet fields,
drenched in golden light. She breathes with her bright lungs. She is one with the profound joy and deep
beauty around her. In that moment, she is enlightened.
___
Listen to this piece as you would listen to the ocean. The pace is slow. This music is a meditation.
Open yourself up to it, slow yourself down to the pace of the music. Breathe deeply and focus on
your breath until you’ve stilled the chatter inside your head. Imagine rain and the rising sun.
- J. Clay Gonzalez
__________________________________________________________________________________
J. Clay Gonzalez is a composer and performer from Lexington, Kentucky who studied composition at
the University of Michigan. His music explores spirituality, community, and connection to the natural
world. Clay currently lives in Madrid, Spain.
is wide and flat. She has been in this place for a long time. Above her, dark clouds loom, but on the horizon,
the orange glow of dawn is visible— a thin, clear strip of light between sky and earth, both black and heavy.
The still air stirs and the warm, humid breeze becomes cooler, drier. It starts to rain.
The rain is hard, soaking everything around her, soaking her clothes and her body, and as it rains
the sun comes up, and the sky is so clear, so far away to the east; it is incandescent, and the dark rain
pounds from above. There are colors, many colors, that don’t have names. She stands over the wet fields,
drenched in golden light. She breathes with her bright lungs. She is one with the profound joy and deep
beauty around her. In that moment, she is enlightened.
___
Listen to this piece as you would listen to the ocean. The pace is slow. This music is a meditation.
Open yourself up to it, slow yourself down to the pace of the music. Breathe deeply and focus on
your breath until you’ve stilled the chatter inside your head. Imagine rain and the rising sun.
- J. Clay Gonzalez
__________________________________________________________________________________
J. Clay Gonzalez is a composer and performer from Lexington, Kentucky who studied composition at
the University of Michigan. His music explores spirituality, community, and connection to the natural
world. Clay currently lives in Madrid, Spain.