Program Notes

This piece, for solo banjo, is heavily influenced by Taylor Swift’s “seven” from folklore (2020). “seven” and folklore as a whole occupy a sacred space in my heart, not only gently holding my hand through the globally worst year ever, but also becoming one of the most important works of art to guide my aesthetic values. I have been a massive fan of Taylor Swift since her early country days, her commitment to authority, authenticity, and honesty in her work inspiring me to play as many instruments as I could get my hands on and write my own “breakup songs”. My admiration for her exploded when folklore was released, a work that pays homage to her acoustic roots and enhances them with the lyricism of a more mature musician. From the opening chords of “the 1” and a quick glance at the woodland album cover, the listener is instantly immersed in a glorious greyscale melancholia of rainy backroad pavements, bare feet in a grassy field, and the cyclical nature of pain and love. “seven” is arguably one of the best songs Taylor Swift has ever written, a breathtaking lamentation and celebration of childhood. The speaker longs for the freedom and fearlessness of her childhood while recognizing that her loved one did not grow up the same way:

Please picture me in the trees

I hit my peak at seven

Feet in the swing over the creek I was too scared to jump in,

But I, I was high in the sky

With Pennsylvania over me

Are there still beautiful things?...

...and I’ve been meaning to tell you I think your house is haunted

Your dad is always mad and that must be why And I think you should come live with me

And we can be pirates

And then you won’t have to cry

Or hide in the closet...

...Please picture me in the weeds Before I learned civility

I used to scream ferociously Anytime I wanted...

american gothic does not often reference “seven” in literal quotations or formal elements—rather, this piece is coming from the wound in my heart that Taylor’s song has carefully sewn together. The cover page of this piece is inspired by American Regionalist painter Andrew Wyeth’s Barn and Trike (1961), an artist whose works capture the “American Gothic” aesthetic. Penguin Random House defines American Gothic literature as the following:

“American Gothic literature, a homegrown genre set in uniquely American settings — the frontier, sometimes even suburbia — explores the darker elements of the nation’s culture and history. Historical sins like slavery, genocide and the destruction of the wilderness are often part and parcel of American Gothic fiction. The past is always alive and with us. Horror is an element, but the supernatural isn’t always present, and when it is, it might be implied rather than identified as such. Questions often arise whether mysterious phenomena noted by characters are actually paranormal in nature or the products of insanity. Mental illness, and whether it runs in families, is another common theme in American Gothic stories. The question of whether one can escape destiny is one that often surfaces in these stories. Similar to that is the debate of whether humanity is born in a state of evil, or becomes such through actions. This one is often framed in a religious subtext, as spiritual crises of various sorts are very much present in the canon.”