Michael Martin: The Blog

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The joy that comes with being done.

The feeling I get when I complete a huge project is part of the motivation that drives me to do some really stupid stuff in my life. And today I got to experience that feeling twice with finally completing my NaNoWriMo novel (with a word count of 50350!) and my piece “The Cinnamon Peeler.” Today I finished formating the parts and score, and writing my program notes and I’m really happy with how everything worked out. Let’s hope the lovely folks at the New York Art Ensemble like it too. :)

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Composer’s Note

Two years ago, a very dear friend of mine shared with me her favorite poem. That poem was “The Cinnamon Peeler” by Sri-Lankan born writer Michael Ondaatje. On the surface, “The Cinnamon Peeler” is a highly erotic poem that deals with the idea of love leaving its aromatic traces on a person’s skin. However, below the surface it reads like a lonely poem of fantasy and longing. I get an image of the narrator sitting alone in a brightly lit kitchen late at night, a glass of wine in one hand and a pen in the other scribbling away this poem. It is this dichotomy of very complicated emotions that has caused “The Cinnamon Peeler” to bury itself into my subconscious, peek it’s head out every once in a while, and finally inspire this piece of music.

In conceiving this work, I decided to use the single tetrachord (0,1,3,5) and it’s various subsets as the harmonic basis throughout. I chose this tetrachord because of the “dreamlike” and “yearning” qualities that I heard in its sound. The piece opens with the violin and cello, sustaining various tones of this tetrachord before the piano comes in with a severe and insistent rhythmic motif. This continues while the clarinet and violin share a duet passing the melody back and forth, much like the cinnamon dust being traded between our poem’s lovers. Many of the motivic elements heard will linger throughout the piece, suggesting the lingering smell of cinnamon.

The piece begins to build toward its first major climax through the use of slowly developing triplet figures and a nostalgic melody. It suddenly bursts forward with an unyielding rhythmic figure in 7/8, hinting at the overwhelming frustration that the man feels as he “buried his hands in saffron, disguised them over smoking tar…” After this climax, the piano takes over which coincides with the change of perspective to the woman in the poem. The bass part in the piano brings forth a simple song-like melody and is soon joined by the other instruments with ideas heard throughout the piece as the woman joyfully accepts her role.

“I am the cinnamon

peeler’s wife. Smell me.”

-MM

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“ the best thing is- don’t question whether or not you will arrive at the goal, only do what you love and pursue what you love to the fullest and everything will fall into place. either as you have planned it or anther interesting result that might be just as good.

— Seth Bowling

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“If you’re a viper…” by Fats Waller

“Now I don’t know nothin’ about Mary G Wana…”

Dream about a reefer five feet long
A mighty immense but not too strong
You’ll be high, but not for long
If you’re a viper

I’m the king of everything
Well I gotta be high before I can swing
Light a tee and let it be
If you’re a viper

Now when your throat get dry
And you know you’re high
Everything is dandy
Truck on down to your candy store
Get you kicks off peppermint candy

Then you’ll know your brown body’s set
You don’t give a damn about payin’ no rent
The sky is high and so am I
Whoa ho, if you’s a viper

Then you’ll know your bodies set
You don’t give a damn about payin’ no rent
Well if you hear the bells ring, ding dong ding
If you’re a viper

(hey don’t tear the paper man, don’t tear it, gotta twist it up)

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“ I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.

— John Cage

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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Nico Muhly- Mothertongue I. Archive

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Talking to Nico

Michael Martin November 16 at 10:45pm

Hello Nico,

I am also sending this inquiry through your publishing company in case that happens to be the *cough* proper way to get ahold of you. I am a student composer, and have been following you and your work since reading about you in the New Yorker.

I will be traveling to NYC between March 25th-29th of this year and would love to meet with you if we happen to have any overlapping free time. As a very serious composition student, with my career goals essentially being ‘your life’, i think it could be truly invaluable to me. I, of course, would be willing to pay for your time and wisdom.

I hope this reaches you well!
Thanks in advance,
Michael

Nico Muhly November 16 at 11:19pm

Hey! I wish I were in town, but I’m totally in London during that weekend. HOWEVER. What’s your scheme? What are you trying to do? Do you want to send me some music?

Michael Martin November 18 at 5:06pm

Wow! You are delightfully quick in responding! Rock on. My dubious scheme was to talk to you about specific events that led to your current success. Discuss what kinds of things you did to open those doors. It was my hope that I could gleam a little insight to use for my own writing and for paving my own path to success. Does that make sense?

I assumed (always a bad idea) that you would be too busy to look at my music, but I would absolutely love too! I’m finishing up a piece for a small chamber ensemble that’s based on a poem by Michael Ondaatje. I would totally love to send it to you once it’s finished!

Nico Muhly November 18 at 5:09pm

Michael Ondaatje writes POETRY? I shudder to think. Are you sure it’s not too WORRRRRDDDDDYYYYYY for setting to music? Send it to me. I’m always happy to chat although I am never ever in New York so digital is the best way to do it. Off tomorrow to Holland for 2 weeks then Cambodia for a month.

Michael Martin November 18 at 5:25pm

Truth be told, all I’ve read of Michael Ondaatje is his poetry. An old boyfriend was positively in love with him. Although most of his poems don’t stick with me the way a good poem should, “The Cinnamon Peeler” has haunted my thoughts for a solid few years now and I think it’s wonderful written. (Of course, he was bound to write something worthwhile eventually right? AKA The Infinite Monkey Theorem?)

My piece is for instruments only though, and is going for the emotional program of the poem rather than the actual words or scenes described.

Enjoy your trip! My dad loves Holland and would live there if he could.

P.S.- Do you have a P.O. Box where I should send my music? What would be best?

Nico Muhly November 18 at 10:11pm

What’s best is that you should email me PDF’s and Mp3’s. I’m going to be in Holland and then Cambodia and unless you want to get really crazy with international mailing, that’s the best way.

Michael Martin November 18 at 10:56pm

OH no, in that case I’ll just let you print it off yourself (or enjoy it on the screen of your macbook if you feel like saving some trees). *Wink*

So what’s your e-mail? Mine is currently martin.jazz.piano@gmail.com

Nico Muhly November 18 at 11:02pm

nico.muhly@mac.com

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I am both excited and appalled at the thought of sharing my music with Nico Muhly. At 26 years old he’s literally living the life of my dreams. I hope the piece I’m working on is incredible and I can somehow impress him.

I think that is what my life is. Always searching for validation.

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Monday July 27th

Cash for clunker? Apparently not. *sigh*

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Sicks Wurds Ohnlee

“Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. The result: “For sale, baby shoes, never used.” It’s rumored that Hemingway thought it was his greatest work”

Then they asked twenty-five of today’s “literary lights” to write their own.
Some of my favorites (Can’t you see each of these being a great movie?!):
“Oh that? It’s nothing. Not contagious.” Augusten Burroughs
“He remembered something that never happened.” AM Homes
“Satan-Jehovah-fifteen rounds. A draw.” Norman Mailer
“Eyeballed me, killed him. Slight exaggeration.” Irvine Welsh
“Havana’s no place for hockey, coach.” Nicholas Weinstock

From now on, since I have trouble blogging/journaling, I am going to make bite sized journal entries using exactly six words to describe my day. Todays:

Church is sleep. Cake is heaven.

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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

This song is the ~~JAM!~~

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Tuesday July 14th, 2009

While each one of us is unique we tend to model ourselves after someone. Who played this role in your life and why?

There have been so many people in my life that have helped inspire and shape me it’s hard to pick just one that I model after. But for right now in my life…

Dr. Smith- Dr. Smith is probably the coolest old man I know. He’s an incredible artist doing what he loves in life. What inspires me about him is that he always has a sunny disposition, has a lot of character, he’s well liked, great with money, has a wonderful home and a great family. I hope I am as cool as him when I’m his age

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Tomorrow I’m going to Warrensburg to visit Edgar :) We’re going to see the next Harry Potter movie and maybe go swimming. I haven’t seen him since June 25th when we celebrated our 6 month anniversary. 20 days has been tooo long!

CURRENTLY READING: