Air Date: Week of April 21, 2023

David Cherwien conducts the premiere performance of Lament of the Earth. (Photo: courtesy of Flight Creative Media)

The orchestral and choral work called “Lament of the Earth” evokes the beauty and wonder of our planet as it speaks directly to the question, ‘where are all the people who care?’ Between excerpts from the 2022 World Premiere of the work, conducting Maestro David Cherwien and Composer Steve Heitzeg join Host Steve Curwood to shed light on its message and inspiration alongside a final reflection from the late lyricist Susan Cherwien.

Transcript

CURWOOD: The silence of the concerned is a theme of an orchestral and choral work called Lament of the Earth. So as we bring our celebration of the Earth and Earth Day to a close, we turn to some excerpts from the World Premiere in 2022 of Lament of the Earth. We typically don’t present classically styled music on Living on Earth, but this work evokes the beauty and wonder of our planet as it speaks directly to the question, ‘where are all the people who care?’ The score for Lament of the Earth was composed by Steve Heitzeg with many of the lyrics by the late poet Susan Cherwien. With mezzo soprano Clara Osowski as featured soloist, David Cherwien conducted its world premiere as artistic director of the National Lutheran Choir. I asked Maestro Cherwien how Lament of the Earth was born.

CHERWIEN: Well, the idea came about through a series of things. But my wife, Susan, and I have often had expressed concern about the care for the earth, and also meeting with friends who are indigenous American Indians and their whole understanding of the Earth, as a living being as a living, nurturing, being like a mother, calling Mother Earth, combined with our were involved in a Christian church, which on Good Friday, makes use of the what we call the reproaches, which is Jesus on the cross saying, Oh, my people, what have you done to me, I did this and that for you. And this is what you do in return. And I just imagined if that voice were given to the earth with that same sentiment, and I think that that, that sort of led to the word lament being involved. So it kind of grew from there out of a deep concern for the earth, and how the arts can speak to that, and, and have some give the earth a voice in that process. And so that’s how it began.

[MUSIC: Earth Aria
Music: Steve Heitzeg Libretto: Susan Palo Cherwien
The National Lutheran Choir with Orchestra, David Cherwien, Artistic Director
The Minnesota Boy Choir, Mark Johson, Executive and Artistic Director
Clara Osowski, Mezzo Soprano, David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
Lament of the Earth © 2023 National Lutheran Choir]

CHERWIEN: So many of us understand power in terms of money, or brute force and Winona LaDuke’s, quote, says it's not those things. It's in your soul. And it's what your ancestors and your old people give you. And that power is in the earth.

[MUSIC: Earth Aria
Music: Steve Heitzeg Libretto: Susan Palo Cherwien
The National Lutheran Choir with Orchestra, David Cherwien, Artistic Director
The Minnesota Boy Choir, Mark Johson, Executive and Artistic Director
Clara Osowski, Mezzo Soprano, David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
Lament of the Earth © 2023 National Lutheran Choir]

CURWOOD: Steve Heitzeg composed the music for Lament of the Earth.

HEITZEG: As an artist, I feel I have a responsibility to not only write the music that I hear, but I want to write music that is for positive social change for environmental justice for world peace, because I really feel that the arts can bring people together.

CURWOOD: Why is it important to use art to carry the message of sustainability?

HEITZEG: Well, because I think we've all been gifted with the beauty of nature and to not respect that as an artist or as an individual is just bad karma. I feel it's immoral. It's, it's wrong on many levels. So you know, it's, it's, you know, you want to honor. Things that you respect and that you believe in, you honor. And so writing music as a way of honoring of that for me.

[MUSIC: Ashunu
Music: Steve Heitzeg Libretto: Susan Palo Cherwien
The National Lutheran Choir with Orchestra, David Cherwien, Artistic Director
The Minnesota Boy Choir, Mark Johson, Executive and Artistic Director
Clara Osowski, Mezzo Soprano, David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
Lament of the Earth © 2023 National Lutheran Choir]

CURWOOD: Susan Cherwien died before the formal World Premiere of Lament of the Earth, but she did hear her poetry performed by orchestra and choir. Before her passing she spoke of its elements of light and dark.

CHERWIEN: There's a slight shift at the end, create in me a clean heart. Because in order for the forest to be green, the trees have to be green. And in order for society to change and for humanity to evolve, individuals have to evolve. The Earth wants us to evolve. And so we move into the fourth movement where we speak as creatures who have discovered our innate connection and our innate beauty as a part of creation.

[MUSIC: Hozhoogo
Music: Steve Heitzeg Libretto: Susan Palo Cherwien
The National Lutheran Choir with Orchestra, David Cherwien, Artistic Director
The Minnesota Boy Choir, Mark Johson, Executive and Artistic Director
Clara Osowski, Mezzo Soprano, David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
David Trembley, Soundmaster Productions
Lament of the Earth © 2023 National Lutheran Choir]

CURWOOD: Excerpts of Heitzeg and Cherwien’s Lament of the Earth, performed by the National Lutheran Choir, David Cherwin conducting.

 

Links

Watch the full Lament of the Earth premiere video

Read the Lament of the Earth program

About the late poet and librettist Susan Palo Cherwien

Visit the National Lutheran Choir’s website

Learn more about Steve Heitzeg’s music