THREE HANDS

for instrumental septet: fl(afl).cl(bcl).perc.pno.vln.vla.vc
completed 2007, rev. 2016
20 minutes
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Program Note

Of Auguste Rodin's representations of the human figure, the hands have always stood out to me the most. Rodin was fixated on the expressive power of hands in his art, using them as symbols of creation and to convey a wide range of emotions, including despair, anger, and empathy. I shaped this piece around three of Rodin's hand sculptures: The Hand of the Devil, Clenched Hand, and The Hand of God.

In movement one, The Hand of the Devil, the figure of a woman tries to escape from the lifeless hand on the ground. The hand is thin and undefined, making the woman, who is in a fetal position, seem frail and vulnerable.

Clenched Hand is a powerful movement with harsh textures and sharp rhythms. The twisted hand conveys the intense suffering of the person it represents.

The Hand of God, in contrast to the first and second movements, is uplifting. From the rough rock, male and female forms emerge entangled, lifted up into the air by a gentle but powerful hand.

Composed in 2007 at the Curtis Institute of Music and for the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, the piece was later extensively revised and expanded for a performance at the Atlantic Music Festival in 2016. The movements continue without pause and last approximately 20 minutes.

-Stephen Cabell