Article May 13, 2002 Issue

DIANA MCINTOSH TALKS ABOUT THROUGH THE VALLEY: MILGAARD, A SYMPHONIC WORK FOR ORCHESTRA, PIANO, AND SPOKEN VOICE

Diana McIntosh

When the conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, asked me to write this work, (he had just read Joyce's book, A Mother's Story), I realized what a major challenge it would be, because of the poignant nature of the story. It was very important to be sure that it didn't get maudlin. It needed to express just the truth, the facts.

The song Joyce wrote is one of the most moving parts in my work, according to the audience reaction, because of the simplicity and the heartfelt feeling in this song. It's an odd thing to put in a contemporary symphonic work, and I hesitated doing it, but it really worked at an emotional, dramatic point in the whole thing.

Spoken text is an integral part of this whole symphonic work. I talk about how she was shunned by Kim Campbell. And . . . then I simply sing Joyce's song, in a very simple way with the orchestra. In fact, when I perform the work, it's at that point in the piece that I really have to keep control of my own emotions to do it and not break up.

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