Accompanist

This is the piece I talked about in class. It's called "Romanze for Viola" and it's by Max Bruch. It's really beautiful, and if you have time you can watch it, but that isn't really necessary for the poem. 

It's really become a "symbol" for my life over the past several years, or at least it parallels it almost perfectly. My poem isn't actually about the piece itself, but the accompanist. You'll notice if you watch the video that as it gets more and more crazy, both musically and technically, the piano becomes much more present. There's a point where the viola finally gives up a little, and the piano has a big thing. Then the viola comes in, and from then on the piano and viola work together. The piano actually becomes a little more important than the viola, in my opinion, because it helps resolve all the chords and just makes the piece end on a good note, while the viola passively fades out. I know Max Bruch wrote this as a romance, but it doesn't say who the romance was between. I like to think of it being between me and God. God's the pianist, and I'm the violist.  


Sorry for such a long introduction. I just feel like that's important to understand. Sorry if I can't write very well...I tried to  do 7 syllables per line in the stanzas about God, and 6 in the other ones (since 7 is perfection in the Bible, and 6, aside from being part of the Beast's number in Revelation, is one short of 7). Hopefully it works well.

Accompanist

You were with me from the start,

But I always took control.

I ignored Your special role,

And forgot You were there first.

It started out just fine,

I think I sounded great.

But pretty soon I saw

That something was not there.

Life started to get hard,

I could not work things out.

My world became a mess,

There was no joy in reach.

I was a burdened wreck,

Sad almost every day.

And what I thought was worst,

Was only just the start.

Without You in my life,

Nothing could be just right.

Unresolved chords, then I

Spiraled out of control.

But among this broken mess,

When I was at my lowest,

You started working in me,

An accompanist at first.

Complimenting what I played,

Offering comfort at times,

But never undermining.

I slowly came to love You.

When I let you take control,

What I feared would be Your solo

Became a lovely duet.

I never stopped playing, but

You were the most important.

God let me fade away, 'till

I hear just your melody.

Resolve my hardest moments,

Be my life, my songs for you.