Rex Isenberg

Anthropo-scenes

SATB chorus (with divisi), STRING QUARTET, PIANO | 22’

The Anthropocene is the Earth's current geological epoch, defined as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment, particularly since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century.

Anthropo-scenes (2024) takes a journey through this climate era - present, past, and future - reflecting on where we are now, where we've been, and where we might be going, through a human lens.

The first movement, Borrowed Time, begins in the present, exploring the effects of climate change today. It sets poignant testimony submitted by singers of the commissioning choir, IOCSF, who share personal stories about how climate disruption has impacted their lives and the lives of those around them. Their worries about when the next flood or next fire may strike are paired with a liturgical poem recited on the Jewish New Year pondering who will be impacted in the coming year and by what: Who by flood? Who by fire? Who by storm?

The second movement, Circumstances Affecting the Heat, looks back to the dawn of climate science, setting the research findings of intrepid scientist Eunice Foote, the first person to accurately describe the greenhouse effect. Her 1856 findings explain how an increase of "carbonic acid gas" (carbon dioxide) in the air causes an increase in temperature when exposed to sunlight. Although her findings were published by a scientific journal, she was not allowed to present her findings to the the American Association for the Advancement of Science (they were read by a male colleague instead), and her results were downplayed at the time. The significance of her early breakthrough was relatively unknown until recently. This jaunty setting breathes new life into her astounding work.

The third movement, For Our Descendants, looks towards the future. It again sets words shared by the choristers of IOCSF - this time, their wishes for what we can preserve for future generations. The movement interweaves texts from Cicero and the Talmud, who share a similar hope for the future. The Talmud story tells of a man who plants a carob tree which will only bear fruit long after his death. When asked why he plants the tree, he says "I was born in a world with trees, so I plant for my descendants." This sentiment is echoed in Cicero's words that begin the movement in a resounding fanfare - Serit arbores quae alteri saeculo prosint - plant trees for the benefit of another century. These three sources produce a powerful rebuttal to climate fatalism, the idea that the planet is too far gone for intervention, asserting instead that taking any action taken for the benefit of future people is worthwhile.

The final movement, Earthly Blessings, is a short and rousing benediction, setting a handful of religious blessings adapted and reimagined for the earth, reaffirming our love and commitment for the planet.

Commission
International Orange Chorale of San Francisco;
Zane Fiala, Artistic Director

Anthropo-scenes was commissioned by International Orange Chorale of San Francisco and Zane Fiala, Artistic Director in 2023 in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the chorus.

Performances
International Orange Chorale of San Francisco