Name: Stölzel, Ingrid: Wider than the Sky
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Stölzel, Ingrid: Wider than the Sky

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Emily Dickinson’s meditation on the power of human imagination is the inspiration for my oboe trio Wider than the Sky. In her poem, she takes an abstract concept and renders it into something tangible and visible for the reader, allowing us all to celebrate the power of human consciousness. The first two stanzas focus on the relationship between the mind and the outer world. The sky and the sea are enormous creations, and yet the mind can conceive and contain them as ideas. Much has been written about the third stanza and especially the meaning of the last line of this poem. For me, as sound is such an important part of my life, I believe she means that humans give meaning to sound and therefore give voice to creation. I am grateful to Celeste Johnson for commissioning this trio and giving voice to my imagination. Creation of this work was supported with funding from The Curators of the University of Missouri on behalf of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where Celeste Johnson is a faculty member.

Premiered by Celeste Johnson Frehner (oboe), Margaret Marco (oboe d’amore) and Erin Huneke (English horn) at the 20th Midwest Double Reed Society, November 7 2021.

Wider than the Sky

The Brain—is wider than the Sky—
For—put them side by side—
The one the other will contain
With ease—and you—beside—

The Brain is deeper than the sea—
For—hold them—Blue to Blue—
The one the other will absorb—
As sponges—Buckets—do—

The Brain is just the weight of God—
For—Heft them—Pound for Pound—
And they will differ—if they do—
As Syllable from Sound—

Emily Dickinson, c. 1862

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