Primavera en silencio

When I first began talking about this collaboration with Dr. Bradley Miller, we focused on the mission of the institution he taught at, the University of Minnesota Morris, a public liberal arts college in rural Minnesota. One of the central aspects of an education there was environmental stewardship and, in attempting to speak to this, I began researching celebrated American conservationist Rachel Carson’s landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, which examined the adverse health effects of “miracle” insecticides like DDT. She firmly believed that the balance of nature was a major force in the survival of the human race, and her stunning research was, predictably, met with widespread skepticism and downright slander from chemical companies who were benefiting from the widespread use of the chemicals she revealed to be harmful to humans.

I originally thought it would be interesting to set some actual text from Carson’s book but, in reading it, it became clear that the prose was thick with brilliant scientific research and didn’t seem like it would sing very well. However, the title of her book (itself inspired by a line of poetry by John Keats) seemed like it could serve as a point of departure for a new text. For this, I asked Washington-based poet (and Rachel Carson fan) Robert Ressler if we might collaborate on something about the animals that are said to “sing,” and how—as in Carson’s title—those songs might be stolen from us if humanity doesn’t quickly take a look in the mirror and start treating the environment with the same care and enthusiasm as we do some of the seemingly less important things in our lives. He agreed and, since the choir was going to take the new piece on a tour of Peru, we decided to write it in Spanish.

When Silent Spring was originally published, some saw it as an act of heroism. Others saw it as an irresponsible breach of scientific objectivity that weakened the public’s faith in science and research. The eye of history has favored the former, and Carson—a quiet person who valued solitude and privacy—has achieved the status of international hero for blowing the whistles that she did. She passed away from a battle with breast cancer only two years after the book’s publication.

Primavera en silencio was commissioned by the University of Minnesota Morris Concert Choir (Dr. Bradley Miller, conductor), and received its premiere on March 7, 2020. It is dedicated with gratitude to the memory of Rachel Carson (1907-1964). Rest in power.

-Joshua Shank