Set to the poetry of Robert Hayden, the journal entries of an extraterrestrial investigating what is an American.
An eclectic, probing, often humorous work open to semi-staging, American Journal was premiered in New York as part of a two-concert series created by Theodore Wiprud entitled I Too Sing America.
for baritone voice with string quartet
available in three versions:
- Complete work in five scenes with “Prologue” and “Epilogue” / 37 min.
- American Journal, Part I (“Prologue” and “Scene 1: The Tavern”) / 16 min.
- Scenes from American Journal / 11 min.
Program Note
Robert Hayden’s poem “American Journal” first appeared in 1978; a revised version came out in 1982, two years after Hayden’s death. Nominated for a National Book Award, this was the most extended single work of one of America’s greatest poets. The poem is a remarkable piece of social commentary—the alleged journal entries of an extraterrestrial visitor studying America undercover, preparing to report to The Counselors just what an “American” is. Full of both wit and a tragic sensibility, the poem raises questions without answering them. The alien’s awkwardness as he tries to fit into American society in various guises suggests several interpretations—an allegory of race in America, or a reflection on the position of the intellectual? American brashness, contrasted with the control exerted by The Counselors, at first repels but gradually attracts the alien investigator. He discovers much; he grows more like his subjects; but ultimately he cannot understand them.
I have approached the poem as the libretto of a one-character opera. The poem’s 15 stanzas fall quite naturally into a five-stanza prologue followed by five scenes, each scene comprising a stanza of action and a stanza of reflection. Partly in homage to Samuel Barber’s great Dover Beach, I chose to accompany my baritone with string quartet—in effect a small orchestra, infinitely flexible, full of color. This is my most eclectic score to date, its references to various musical languages (from sci-fi flick to Americana to rock-and-roll) capturing the investigator’s chameleon abilities.
I began setting American Journal in 2000 at the suggestion of baritone Andre Solomon-Glover, who performed Part 1 (Prologue and Scene 1 with a short coda) in 2001 in Boston with the Lydian String Quartet and in New York with the Corigliano Quartet. Andre suffered a stroke soon after, putting this project on hold for several years. I continued writing scenes in between other projects, and finally completed the entire work in the summer of 2007 for a 2008 premiere on the Victoria Bond’s Cutting Edge Concerts. During these seven years, I have seen the relevance of the poem grow with every day’s headlines. What, indeed, is an American?
—Theodore Wiprud
Buy Score and Parts »American Journal
by Robert Hayden
Note: All headings in parentheses are the composer’s inventions.
(Prologue)
here among them the americans this baffling
multi people extremes and variegations their
noise restlessness their almost frightening
energy how best describe these aliens in my
reports to The Counselors
disguise myself in order to study them unobserved
adapting their varied pigmentations white black
red brown yellow the imprecise and strangering
distinctions by which they live by which they
justify their cruelties to one another
charming savages enlightened primitives brash
new comers lately sprung up in our galaxy how
describe them do they indeed know what or who
they are do not seem to yet no other beings
in the universe make more extravagant claims
for their importance and identity
like us they have created a veritable populace
of machines that serve and soothe and pamper
and entertain we have seen their flags and
foot prints on the moon also the intricate
rubbish left behind a wastefully ingenious
people many it appears worship the Unknowable
Essence the same for them as for us but are
more faithful to their machine made gods
technologists their shamans
oceans deserts mountains grain fields canyons
forests variousness of landscapes weathers
sun light moon light as at home much here is
beautiful dream like vistas reminding me of
home item have seen the rock place known
as garden of the gods and sacred to the first
indigenes red monoliths of home despite
the tensions i breathe in i am attracted to
the vigorous americans disturbing sensuous
appeal of so many never to be admitted
(Scene 1: The Tavern)
something they call the american dream sure
we still believe in it i guess an earth man
in the tavern said irregardless of the some
times night mare facts we always try to double
talk our way around and its okay the dream’s
okay and means whats good could be a damn sight
better means everybody in the good old u s a
should have the chance to get ahead or at least
should have three squares a day as for myself
i do okay not crying hunger with a loaf of
bread tucked under my arm you understand i
fear one does not clearly follow i replied
notice you got a funny accent pal like where
you from he asked far from here i mumbled
he stared hard i left
must be more careful item learn to use okay
their pass word okay
(Scene 2: The Riot)
crowds gathering in the streets today for some
reason obscure to me noise and violent motion
repulsive physical contact sentinels pigs
I heard them called with flailing clubs rage
and bleeding and frenzy and screaming machines
wailing unbearable decibels I fled lest
vibrations of the brutal scene do further harm
to my metabolism already over taxed
The Counselors would never permit such barbarous
confusion they know what is best for our sereni
ty we are an ancient race and have outgrown
illusions cherished here item their vaunted
liberty no body pushes me around I have heard
them say land of the free they sing what do
they fear mistrust betray more than the freedom
they boast of in their ignorant pride have seen
the squalid ghettoes in their violent cities
paradox on paradox how have the Americans
managed to survive
(Scene 3: Independence Day)
parades fireworks displays video spectacles
much grandiloquence much buying and selling
they are celebrating their history earth men
in antique uniforms play at the carnage whereby
the americans achieved identity we too recall
that struggle as enterprise of suffering and
faith uniquely theirs blonde miss teen age
america waving from a red white and blue flower
float as the goddess of liberty a divided
people seeking reassurance from a past few under
stand and many scorn why should we sanction
old hypocrises thus dissenters The Counse
lors would silence them
a decadent people The Counselors believe i
do not find them decadent a refutation not
permitted me but for all their knowledge
power and inventiveness not yet more than raw
crude neophytes like earthlings everywhere
(Scene 4: Passing)
though I have easily passed for an american in
bankers grey afro and dashiki long hair and jeans
hard hat yarmulke mini skirt describe in some
detail for the amusement of The Counselors and
though my skill in mimicry is impeccable as
indeed The Counselors are aware some thing
eludes me some constant amid the variables
defies analysis and imitation will i be judged
incompetent
america as much a problem in metaphysics as
it is a nation earthly entity an iota in our
galaxy an organism that changes even as i
examine it fact and fantasy never twice the
same so many variables
(Scene 5: Suspicion and Epilogue)
exert greater caution twice have aroused
suspicion returned to the ship until rumors
of humanoids from outer space so their scoff
ing media voices termed us had been laughed
away my crew and i laughed too of course
confess i am curiously drawn unmentionable to
the americans doubt i could exist among them for
long however psychic demands far too severe
much violence much that repels i am attracted
none the less their variousness their ingenuity
their elan vital and that some thing essence
quiddity i cannot penetrate or name
© 1985 Emma Hayden.
Reprinted by permission of Liveright Publishers, New York.
