Peter Lieberson just talked to the Boston Globe about his new “Songs of Love and Sorrow’’
(thanks to reader y2k)The music for the new cycle follows in the lyrical vein that characterized the “Neruda Songs,’’ which came as something of a surprise to those who knew his dense earlier works. Many hailed this “approachable’’ style, but Lieberson says it’s less a matter of being accessible than being “more naked — something that wants to come through and allowing it, whatever its form should be.’’
Finley says Lieberson’s “lyric voice is beautiful; he’s got a great sense of melody. It’s like all of these songs sound like they are already standard, part of the repertoire. They are extremely — I hate to use the word catchy — but there’s melody that’s instantly suited to the words and the mood of each poem.’’Lieberson is not sure whether he’ll continue to compose in this style. “I might go in a completely different direction,’’ he says as he contemplates future projects, including a percussion concerto for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a piece for the National Symphony Orchestra to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration.