Flute, Oboe, Percussion, Harp, Violin, Cello

7’30”

Harp and percussion are prepared (see below). Also needed: chimes and music box

(contact composer for more information about the music box)

Program Notes

A Wisdom Seldom Seen is a chamber piece inspired by the

unique and intelligent forms of communication undertaken in

the plant world. The hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi create an

underground network connecting all kinds of plants, including

trees, to each other. This network is used to convey nutrients

between plants and communicate information, including

imminent dangers such as disease, fires, or logging. The

responses to the information are adaptive and happen very

quickly; for example, trees can enact defense mechanisms

against a disease or fire before it reaches the tree. The fungi

share soil nutrients with the trees, and in turn, the trees share

carbohydrates resulting from photosynthesis. The NIH

describes all of this as intelligent “behavior,” furthering the

knowledge that plants behave with intentionality and

cooperation, in a complex, intelligent, effective system.

In this piece, I hope to evoke a mystical, energetic, somewhat

alien atmosphere, as humans might feel while observing the

plant world. Each of the instruments creates unusual sounds;

microtones, sounds of friction and wind, bent tones, intricately

weaving lines, subdued yet exquisite colors. Each of the

instruments has its own beauty – colors, textures, ways ofmoving. Then these complex instruments interact with each

other, in just of a few of the infinite ways they could. This

parallels the plants involved in mycorrhizal networks – each

plant is discrete and unique, and huge networks of these

plants come together to create something amazing. My hope

in composing a piece grounded in this inspiration is that

listeners will increase their appreciation for how complex,

effective, and brilliant the natural world is. This is a not a world

of inert objects; when a road is built or a forest razed, the

consequences range far beyond the immediate visible area.

The largest mycorrhizal network known currently is 2,384 acres

large, beating the 200-ton blue whale as the largest organism.

If you’re interested in learning more, a good resource is the

NIH National Library of Medicine, under “interplant

communication through mycorrhizal networks.

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Performer Notes

This piece is intended to be played with a great deal of

freedom in all places except the “soaring” passages (m.32-52

and 79-104). The gestures should feel expressive and natural,

rather than metered and rigid. Microtones don’t need to be

exact ¼ tones, bent notes have no defined end point.

The vibraphone will need to prepare two bars with putty to

lower the pitch: D#5 and A#4.

The harp will tune D#5 and A#4 down about ¼ step.