Andrew Thomas: Merlin
Merlin was composed in 1985. This piece is composed for and
dedicated to William Moersch, who gave the premiere performance in 1987. This work is originally titled “Two Pieces for Solo Marimba,” but William Moersch pressured Thomas for an original title and he later changed it. The title is comes from Thomas’s experience reading the poem Merlin, by Edwin Arlington Robinson while composing the work. The poem, Merlin, is a long narrative about the legend of King Arthur and the destruction of his Court.Thomas has used two quotes from the poem to set the tone of the two movements of the score. Merlin joined the marimba repertoire at a time when the marimba was becoming a more prominent solo instrument in western music. It is notable that the work was written by a wellknown non-percussionist composer
General Information about Merlin
Quote In the first movement of Merlin
beyond the faint edge of the world
"Gawaine, Gawaine, what look ye for to see,
So far beyond the faint edge of the world?
D'ye look to see the lady Vivian,
Pursued by divers ominous vile demons
That have another king more fierce than ours?
Or think ye that if ye look far enough
And hard enough into the feathery west
Ye'll have a glimmer of the Grail itself?
And if ye look for neither Grail nor lady,
What look ye for to see, Gawaine, Gawaine?"
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The first movement is a slow and lyrical choral though sustained sound of the roll notes. The pitch set in this movement, mood
throughout the piece, and the phrasing of the piece is highly relate to the context There is a brief reprise of the opening measures in m. 41 at the end of the movement which is in relation to the repeat of the first and last line of the poem excerpt. There are also ten phrases of the piece related of ten lines of poem, which seperated by either rests of a breath mark. About the harmonic, ihis movement isn't follow the traditional voice leading and have the unusual progression switching between moments of triadic stability and instability
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quote in the second movement of Merlin
Time's Way
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Time’s way with you and me
Is our way, in that we are out of Time
And out of tune with Time.
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The second movement has rhythm as main motivating factor. The second movement mostly employs streaming sixteenth notes
throughout. These sixteenth notes are organized in a manner where the meter is not clear to a listener. Much of the work is in 6/8 but the groupings of sixteenth notes are in different combinations of two or three. Time is supposed to seem pliable and unsteady even as the rhythm is non-changing. The material of the second movement is largely non-repetitive in terms of pitch, but some common rhythmic themes and motives help to create cohesion. A common pattern used in a couple of different ways. The final segment of the movement, starting at m. 201, is the most virtuosic moment of the work and quite possibly one of the most virtuosic moments in the solo marimba repertoire. Interpretations of this final segment vary greatly. Percussionist Ben Charles has created a comparison of different professional performances to get insight in to this section. Many performers opt to allow more space and rubato within the section to make it more achievable(Vilseck, 7-11)
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Different Ending of Merlin by Ben Charles
Edwin Arlinton Robinson's Merlin
Merlin legend in Robinson's perspective is reinterpreted by the characterization,
point of view, and imagery. Of the three long Arthurian poems, Which is Robinson's Merlin and two story which he followed, Malory's Morte D'Arthur and Tennyson's Idylls of the King ,Edwin Arlington Robinson wrote, Merlin, his first, is the one most original in its characterizations, and also the one least dependent on original sources for its narrative line.
at the part that Merlin is trapped by Vivien, In the Robinson Melin wasn't
even trapped and his fate. He is neither tricked nor seduced, and, most important, Merlin is free to leave whenever he pleases and it means Vivien is not Merlin's Ultimate fate as she does in the two sources Robinson used.
Central to Robinson's interpretation is the cosmology he develops within the
poem. is the central visionary who perceives and understands the cosmos in which he operates. The prime force in Merlin's universe he calls God. But for merlin, god is not an all-powerful deity, for there is another force in Merlin's universe which is equal to God. Fate and God then, control and dominate the cosmos in which man exists, and man becomes subject to their laws but
In this poem, Merlin, assume a position higher than man in this universe.
Merlin has seen farther backward and forward into Time than an ordinary mortal Merlin's ability to see beyond the surface of things is constantly juxtaposed against the visionary limitations of the common man The poem begins, in fact, with Dagonet's question to Gawaine, "what look ye for to see/ So far beyond the faint edge of the world?" and this line used in the Andrew Thomas's First movement Concept. (Cox, 1-5)
Vivian and Merlin by Gustave Dore
George Housman Thomas' illustration for The Story of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by James Thomas Knowles (1862)
dominant forces of God and Fate.Merlin has achieved his visionary
superiority over other men because he has been able to transcend Time, the third major force in his cosmos. Merlin, because he has, as he says,"played with time," has not seen only the surface of things as Gawaine has, but has instead transcended them. And yet Merlin's victory over Tinle is only a temporary one. Finally in the poem he must admit to himself his defeat. He was once young, but the hand of Time grips his shoulder and then he is old; Time has conquered him. Merlin has not been able to hold back his "unseen angel," and when his moment of revelation comes, Merlin discovers that his angel's name is Change, and he learns that he nlust submit to a force stronger than either he or Vivian. Although Merlin has been able to hold
Time at bay up to a point, he must finally prove inferior to this force and allow Time its vengeance.
In Robinson's poem Vivian also has as far vision as merlin like Merlin,
she has apparently stepped beyond Time, although it would seem that Vivian's powers, because she constantly fears growing old. But different than Merlin, Vivian Chose to escape the time rather than overcome it Her pleas to Merlin reveal this when she tells him that they "are out of Broceliande if they are to survive. Merlin tries, but fails. He is out of Time/ And out of tune with Time." He must hold them in Broceliande if they are to survive. Merlin tries, but fails. He is able to preserve their paradise for twelve years, then Change
finally breaks the spell. (Cox, 1-5)