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This is the second movement of the suite, Fountainheads, which was commissioned by Yerba Buena Gardens Festival for their 20th anniversary. The piece that is mostly sampled from besides the two quotations, the subject of Grosse Fuge in the beginning and the fuller phrase of Ode to Joy at the end, is Coriolan Overture. I chose this piece as the basis because the play’s tragic hero, Coriolanus reminded me of how hard it is to not give into the outside pressure even if you’re doing the right thing (or especially if you’re doing the right thing). At times, it doesn’t matter if something is right or true, and at these moments we make decisions that define us. The fact that he had all the power to conquer Rome yet killed himself to prevent it makes him noble and, indeed, tragic. Perhaps struggle and tragedy are unavoidable in life but we could still find fortitude within ourselves.
Each movement of the Fountainheads corresponds with ancient Greek ethical concepts, Ataraxia (your mind is free from the fear of death), Apatheia (mind is unperturbed by violent emotions), and Eudaimonia (roughly translated as “blessedness”). This piece, Beethoven On Struggle has the moment of Apatheia and through it, one goes a step closer to the brotherhood of mankind which Schiller talked about in Ode to Joy.
As the writing of the suite began, I was at once deeply inspired by the generosity of Yerba Buena Gardens Festival but also moved by people’s pain from the pandemic. My hope is that this piece, the suite, and other pieces in the album alleviate the sufferings of whoever listens, as they have helped cope with mine.
lyrics
I've got no words about how I've got it worse
Around the world the same song
But now I've got a verse
While the streets holla
A corpse leaps out a hearse
Oh shit its me
Why have my dreams gotten worse
I need to be where we need not
Keep dodging blurbs
Thoughts of me shot
Bleeding on the triage nurse
Because we die first
Faces of the murder be on shirts
The quick and the dead
That we peel off curbs
The streets ethos
The knees knock of the meek walking
In need of heroes
A young chief has got one chambered
In the heat that he totes
Why (does) every novice try to play the boss
When they ain’t gone all in
Ain't paid the cost or the fees
Hate it that I've made my peace (piece)
They eat until their bellies full
And still crave beef, say please
Maybe I'll save you a seat
At the table where l break bread
Making a speech
Saying peace to the lovers unable to please
Haters throwing shade on your name
In the street
Aye we be the light bearers
They're trying to scare us like night terrors
Hoping we might error
Like J.D. in American me
When you make it there
They want to live vicariously
Dog you like terrier
And carry the leash
Like police who dare to conquer peace
Care of the beast
Where you could sleep with fishes
In the barrier reef
And wary are we who care deep
Buried in grief
Beware of the evil
It’s barely illegal
For them to carry the heat
Dare to be lethal
Barbarian ego scared of the people
Who made America great
And dared to be equal
Peep though
we need more folks to keep the focus
We won't see no mea culpa from the culprits
Power brokering xenophobes
Misleading the voters
Fear mongering theologians
Speaking from the pulpit
Whoa
We needs hold us close (2×)
Coast to coast
these boys want to get us to ghost
Given they've never been gentlemen
Don't get too intimate with their sentiment
Committed to being a bigoted idiot
Thinking they're getting the benefit
There's life to be living and time is limited
Fight is imminent true
But you'll find it within
the bright and the infinite light to be given by you
Because they don't know what they do
They don't know what is true
When they try to divide us
Provide for the few
They gon' lose (x2)
But what you gon' do (x2)
Brought up in a bubble
Where up jumps the muzzle
And for lump sums of chump change
It’s on and fuck you
Taught not to crumble
Under another man's knuckles
But not how to stand when them boys plan to bump you
Running the land wanting out
Well, Uncle Sam wants you
My pops was a veteran and a functioning drunk too
It's funny as a child
The conclusions that you come to
Try to gather your senses
But find some shit to numb you
Thumb through life while the streets run red
Everything you have to say
Remains unsaid
Chummy with vampires at each others necks
Hung head not living just undead.
credits
released January 26, 2021
Composition/Piano - JooWan Kim
Lyrics/Rap - Sandman
Soprano - Anne Hepburn Smith
Flute - Joyce Lee
Oboe - Liam Boisset
Clarinet - Davis Hampton
Bassoon - Jamael Smith
French Horn - Craig James Hansen
Violin 1 - Clare Armenante
Violin 2 - Laura Keller
Viola - Ivo Bokulić
Cello - Evan Kahn
Bass - Michel Taddei
Drums - Lyman Jerome Alexander II
Mixed and Mastered by Jeremy Goody (Megasonic Sound)
All music composed and orchestrated by JooWan Kim
All lyrics written by Sandman
Produced by JooWan Kim and Christopher Nicholas
The Fountainheads (Mozart on Joy, Beethoven on Struggle, Bach on Transcendence) commissioned by Yerba Buena Gardens Festival for their 20th anniversary
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