Evolution: The Musical?

American Composer Puts Evolution to Music

By RUTH N. GELLER
HumanistNetworkNews.org
Feb. 18, 2009

On Feb. 6, 2009, less than a week before Charles Darwin's birthday 200th birthday, an oratorio inspired by the life and works of the famed evolutionary biologist, premiered at the State University of New York College at Oswego, in Oswego, N.Y.

An oratorio is a long choral work, traditionally with a theme from Scripture. Think, Handel's Messiah or J. S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

The Origin: An Opera-Oratorio, by modern classical composer Richard Einhorn, is, according to Einhorn, a celebration of Darwin's thought and life in music. It concentrates specifically on the writing and ideas in "On the Origin of Species."

This may be the first time an oratorio has been composed on a scientific theme.

Einhorn writes in detail about the genesis of the work in the blog Digby's Hullabaloo.

The composer said that he had wanted to write music about a scientific subject for a long time. His thoughts turned specifically to evolution and Darwin following an argument with a close friend who believed that "intelligent design" creationism should be taught alongside evolution in science classes.

This set Einhorn off to a serious study of evolutionary theory. After seeing Darwin's notebooks at the Darwin show at the American Museum of Natural History, he was sure that he wanted to do a piece about the making of "On the Origin of Species."

"I can't remember a time I was not aware of Darwin's theory—my father, a doctor, had probably explained evolution by natural selection to me by the time I was seven or eight," said Einhorn. As an adolescent, he was further influenced by John T. Scopes' autobiography and the film Inherit the Wind.

He remains "amazed" to learn that "anyone could reject or be repelled by this incredibly beautiful, and so obviously correct, theory of life's diversity."

After a year and a half of almost daily composing, Einhorn produced a 105-minute-long work for 150 people, including musicians and vocalists. The music is scored for a soprano, baritone, chorus, orchestra, and Kitka, an eight-woman Eastern European vocal ensemble.

It is a multi-media production, with videos and other visuals complimenting portions of the musical score.

Instrumental in getting the show off the ground was Mary Avrakotos, coordinator of Artswego.

In an telephone interview with HNN, Avrakotos said, "In 2004, we presented "Voices of Light, " another oratorio, by Einhorn. It was a wonderful collaboration. We have a talented musical director (Julie Pretzat). We told him that it would be wonderful if we could commission him to write a piece to perform at SUNY Oswego."

The bulk of the funding, $90,000, came from the New York State Music Fund, which was created by former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and the Women's Vocal Ensemble also contributed much smaller amounts, the latter specifically subsidizing the performance of Kitka.

The female chorus embodies Darwin's public persona, as they sing from his autobiographical writings.

"I used this group because it is such a haunting, unusual sound—and I wanted Darwin's life to have a unique voice, " said Einhorn.

There is humor in the piece as well—the women sing a song about Darwin's taste for collecting beetles.

"All of the lyrics come from Darwin's writing, " said Avrakotos. "It's a tribute to Darwin and a tribute to thought. It's amazing. "

Poet Catherine Barnett collaborated with composer Einhorn to compile and arrange Darwin's writings.

According to Avrakotos, 900 people attended the two performances of the show. "One couple came from Colorado to see it and went both nights," said Avrakotos.

The composer is hoping to have the piece toured. The performance at SUNY College at Oswego was recorded by the local public radio and television station.

To hear a short segment from the opening piece called "Representation of Chaos," click: www.youtube.com/watch.

The opening is accompanied by a montage of photography of the Galapagos by photographer Scott Hurst.

Ruth N. Geller is the editor of Humanist Network News, the weekly e-zine of the Institute for Humanist Studies.