Vivienne Olive

Love, Orange Days and Summer Winds

My song cycle, „Love, Orange Days and Summer Winds“ is a setting of four love poems by the American poet, Pam Morehead. These poems were not originally intended to form a cycle, but I felt they seemed to be connected and I had the permission of the poet to set them to music in this way.

The first song, „The Dancer“, has an air of gentle expectation and anticipation. I have used a completely familiar tonal language in setting this song. I wanted to convey a feeling of warmth and excitement.

The second song, „Place of Secrets“ is more diffuse and restless. It is based on rows of different tonal scales which conflict with each other and result in a turmoil of unresolved emotions and uncertainty.

The third song, which gives its name to the cycle, „Love, Orange Day and Summer Winds“, is rather obscure, slightly „way out“, lodged somewhat askew of traditional tonality as we have come to understand it in the Western World. The text reminds me of The Beatles‘ „Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds“, Calm, floating, unreal.

The fourth song, „A Veil and a Reminder“ is a love song. It is a resolution of all the questions and uncertainties contained in the previous songs. The tonal language is once more familiar. There are a few „reminders“ of what has gone before, but the general atmosphere is one of consummation and deepest love.