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Spebnan Spotlight November 15, 1979 Page 12
When Michael Braun asked
Stevie Wonder to compose a
piece of music for his film “The
Secret Life of Plants” it is certain
that neither of them had any idea
of the proportions to which that
project would eventually grow.
One musical segment from
Stevie, unbalanced the musical
content of the rest of the picture,
so he was asked to compose a
theme song, and from this it grew
to Stevie being invited to write
the entire musical score for the
picture.
Thus, the “Secret Life of Plan
ts” grew to become Stevie Won
der’s next major project after his
universally successful “Songs In
The Key of Life” album. Now a
little over three years later and
after the characteristic stevie
wonder honing to perfection,
“Stevie Wonder’s Journey
Through the Secret Life Of Plan
ts” is complete.
After only one listen to the
album it will not be difficult for
even those relatively uninitiated
in the complexities of song
writing and recording to realize
why the album took this length of
time to perfect.
This is a major musical work
which can expect to enjoy a
longevity which will dwarf the
length of time that the album
took in the making. The journey
runs the entire musical and hence
emotional spectrum.
Side One - opens with “Earth’s
Creation - and “The First Gar
den”, a majestic look at the very
beginning of the earth as we
know it from the volcanic ex
plosive start, through to the
gradual development of a rhythm
of life represented by the rhyth
mic singing of the animals and
birds. The first side also sets the
universal tone of the album with
“A Voyage To India” and “Ai No
Sono”. The other two pieces on
the first side give fair notice that
this album has very wide musical
range from the classic Stevie
Wonder style ballad “Same Old
Story” to a sophisticated jazz
piece with a touch of humor -
“Venus Flytrap and The Bug”.
Side Two - has the very
soothing and fluid “seasons” as
the opening track and then works
into “Power Flower” a serenade
by Pan the Mythological god of
the flowers to the plant world.
“Send One Your Love” (music)
has a noticeable 1930’s feeling
about it and in the movie is the
background to a very
sophisticated garden party and is
absolutely appropriate to that at
mosphere. “Racing Babbling” is a
total contrast from the rest of the
side and is a reflection on how
fast and chaotic man’s world
must seem to the plant kingdom
and the contrast serves to em
phasize this point.
Side Three - is really a collec
tion of incredibly strong and
characteristically diverse
melodies. “Send One Your Love”
the first single from the album
has the hallmark of a classic song
both musically and lyrically.
“Outside My Window” has the
kind of sing along chorus which
will continue mentally long after
the song actually stops. If anyone
needed confirmation that Stevie
Wonder is still capable of
Side Four - “ A Seed’s A Stai
and Tree Medley” as the title
suggests is an English language
reference to the same subject
matter as that suggested in
Kesse Ye Lolo De Ye”. The tree
segment making use of the vocal
power of Tata Vega. “The Secret
Life of Plants” is the main theme
song and will be instantly
recognizable as a theme which
has recurred throughout the
album. “Tree” manages to cap
ture both the tranquility and the
majesty which trees have to
H anyone who looks upon them.
The “Finale” is a piece of music
which does true justice to all the
various melodies which are em
bodied in the album, and which it
reintroduces as a lasting remin
der of all aspects of the journey
which is drawing to a close.
“Stevie Wonder’s Journey
Through The Secret Life of Plan
ts” is a memorable and will be a
very lasting experience.
STEVIE WONDER
creating and performing in
credibly beautiful ballads “Black
Orchid” shound go to remove any
remaining doubt. “Ecclesiastes” a
tune which can only be described
as a requiem once again serves as
a reminder that this album is a
work of immense depth. “Kesse
Ye Lolo De Ye” is sung in the
Bambara language of the Dogon
tribe from Mali, West Africa and
translated means a “Seed Is A
Star” a reference to an ancient
festival which this tribe
celebrates every 50 years sym
bolizing their belief that life in
the form of a seed came from a
distant star “Po Tolo”. “Come
Back As A Flower” features
Syreeta on vocals and the breezy
carefree tone of the song is in ac
cord with the sentiments it reflec
ts.
mmm
CETTEIEISfflSUMEIP
Ever since pioneer days,
neighborliness has been part
of the American way of life.
Today, this tradition of
cooperation continues
through organizations like
The Salvation Army. Com
posed of concerned citizens,
the Army helps disaster vic
tims, prisoners and their
families, the armed forces,
the aging, young business
women, the unemployed and
the victims of drugs or
alcohol, among others.
You can show your good
citizenship by helping them
with a bequest, contribution
or by volunteering your time.
Who is Stevie Wonder?
November in Symphony Hall
November 15, 16, 17 (8:30 p.m.), November 18 (2:30 p.m.):
Robert Shaw Conducting
Thomas Carey, Baritone
At the age of 29 Stevie Wonder
has been in the record industry
for 18 years; and in that time he
has received virtually every ac
colade which that industry can
give to him. Since his first hit
record “Fingertips” in 1962 he
has written and performed many
classic songs, songs which in
clude “You Are The Sunshine Of
My Life”, “My Cherie Amour”
and “Isn’t She Lovely”. But above
all, he has become known for his
master craftsmanship in the
recording and production of
albums.
Stevie has always been a
Motown recording artist, since he
was introduced to the company
by Ronnie White of the Miracles
in 1961. Although he has always
been successful, the major tur
ning point in his career came in
1971 when he was 21 and was
able to take full creative control
of his work.
“Music Of My Mind” was
really the first of the new genre of
Stevie Wonder albums. Released
in March 1972 was the first in an
unbroken series of gold albums
that he has released. The other
being “Talking Book." “In
ner-visions”, “Fulfillingness’ First
Finale” and “Songs In The Key
Of Life”. Stevie Wonder, partly
by virtue of his longevity as an ar
tist, and partly because he has
become known for his socio
political awareness, is known as
more than just a musician, he is a
household name.
The “Songs In The Key Of
Life” album was something of a
landmark in Stevie’s career, it
took 2 Vi years to record and was
a major work which moved
Stevie Wonder into a class by
himself as an artist who could not
be confined by the usual musical
boundaries and delineations.
His latest album “Stevie Won
der's J ourney Through The
Secret Life of Plants” will push
the boundaries to their limit. This
album took a little over 3 years to
complete and is a work of im
mense musical depth. It is an at
tempt by Stevie to share the wide
range of musical experiences and
influences to which he has been
exposed.
Always unpredictable and in
novative, this work can be
Stevie’s stepping stone into the
80’s still at the forefront of con
temporary popular music.
Q. Does music make you think?
A. It made Stevie Wonder.
Robert Shaw lo Conduct Four
Performances of Gershwin’s
“Porgy and Bess”
Music Director Robert Shaw
will conduct the Atlanta Sym
phony Orchestra, with baritone
Thomas Carey and other soloists,
and the Atlanta University Cen
ter Chorus in four performances
of George Gershwin’s famous
folk opera, “Porgy and Bess,” in a
concert version at Symphony
Hall. Performances are
scheduled for Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, November 15, 16
and 17, at 8:30 p.m., and Sunday,
November 18, at 2:30 p.m.
Mr. Carey will sing the role of
Porgy and soprano Laura
English-Robinson will be heard as
Bess. Other soloists include
baritone Andrew Smith as
Crown, tenor Sam Hagan as Spor
tin’ Life, and contralto Carol
Brice as Maria. They will be
joined by a chorus prepared by
Dr. Wendell Whalum and com
prised of singers from the Atlanta
University Center Community
Chorus, the Clark College Choir,
Morehouse College Glee Club,
Morris Brown College Choir and
Spelman College Glee Club.
Tickets for this event are
priced from $4 to $9 and can be
reserved by phone at the
Memorial Arts Center Box Of
fice: 892-2414.
Andrew Smith, Baritone
Sam Hagan, Tenor
Carol Brice, Contralto
The Atlanta University Center Chorus
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess” (concert version)
November 21, 23, 24 (8:30 p.m.):
Louis Lane Conducting
Anthony and J oseph Paratore, Duo-Pianists
Vaughn Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82
(First ASO performance)
Sapieyevski: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
(First ASO performance)
Poulenc: Concerto in D minor for Two pianos and Orchestra
November 29, 30, December 1 (8:30 p.m.)
Hiroyuki Iwaki Conducting
William Steck, Violin
Mozart: Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro”
Mendelssohn: Concerto in E minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 64
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93
(First ASO performance)
Education
enrollment tor the first time in
many years. Some larger black
universities, like Tuskegee In
stitute, Atlanta University and
Howard University, will continue
to attract philanthropic and
federal aid. But there is the real
danger that the majority of
traditionally black, Southern
colleges will close their doors
permanently by the 1990s. The
rush toward integrated higher
education has condemned them
to obscruity and neglect.
i ’member
sitting, studying by the oil
lamp
trying to do my homework
while the last of the wood is
burning out of the stove,
and as the kitchen grows
cold,
my homework becomes a
blur
and i dream,
and escape,
and smile,
then the morning comes,
i ’member.
—Lauray R. Powell