Orchard in Fog takes its name from a photograph by Adam Laipson of an apple orchard in winter. This particular orchard happens to be the same place where my wife and I were married in my hometown of New Salem, MA. Adam was generous enough to give us the photograph as a wedding gift, and it hangs in our bedroom. I’ve been waking up to this beautiful, haunting image every day for the past six years, and I am continually drawn to it. When Anne Akiko Meyers asked me to write her a violin concerto, a narrative inspired by this image and place immediately came to mind:
Orchard in Fog tells the story of an aging man visiting the orchard where he was once married many years ago. It is the dead of winter, and he is now weak and tired, and nearing the end of his life. The first movement (Frail) is reflective, and represents the present day. It features a series of melodies that are more melancholic than hopeful. The violin uses a scordatura tuning (in this instance, the G string is tuned down to F for the duration of the concerto), and focus is not only given to the low F, but also the uppermost register of the E string (which is the highest string on the violin). The first movement is 11-minutes.
Movement II (Dancing) is a memory. It captures the old man looking back on his life and all of the beautiful, youthful moments he had with his wife. The movement is essentially one long dance that is built on a layering technique, where something new happens nearly every eight measures. It also features the solo violin more as a member of the first violins than as traditional soloist. This 5-minute movement ends with a coda that has all of the strings playing together in an unpredictable rhythm.
Movement III (Farewell Song) gradually brings us back to the present day, and to the orchard where the old man’s journey first began. This is his farewell song to his love, and to the life that he has known. It is now time for him to leave everything behind and move into the unknown. It once again takes advantage of the now G-string tuned down to F, as the entire movement is in the key of F. Whereas movement I was more somber in tone, this movement gives us a glimmer of hope and acceptance.
Adam Schoenberg
December 15, 2017