The ethereal sound of the Steel Guitar takes center stage in the works of Susan Alcorn, a visionary musician who pushes the boundaries of this often-underestimated instrument. Her album, a collection of introspective and innovative pieces, opens with a piece inspired by profound Buddhist teachings:
The Heart Sutra: Emptiness and Form in Music
“Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagrija at Vulture Peak Mountain . . .” These opening words from the Heart Sutra, the “Sutra of the Heart of Transcendent Wisdom,” resonate deeply within Alcorn’s musical interpretation. Delivered by the Buddha 2,500 years ago on Vulture Peak Mountain, the Sutra’s core message – “Form is Emptiness” and “Emptiness also is Form” – explores the nature of reality. Alcorn translates this complex philosophy into a largely monotone recitation on her steel guitar. In this piece, the Buddha’s presence is musically signified by a minor third, while key points in the Sutra are emphasized with powerful octave shifts. Through single unison notes, Alcorn masterfully draws attention to the rich overtones and the subtle interplay of vibrations, breathing life into the ancient text through the steel guitar’s unique voice.
And I Await the Resurrection of the Pedal Steel Guitar: A Musical Homage
Alcorn’s composition, “And I Await the Resurrection of the Pedal Steel Guitar,” is a deeply personal statement about her instrument and its place in contemporary music. She draws direct inspiration from Olivier Messiaen’s monumental “Et Exspecto Ressurectionem Mortuorum.” Recalling her first encounter with Messiaen’s work while driving in Houston, Texas, Alcorn describes being so overwhelmed by the music’s power that she had to pull over. This profound experience informs her own piece, which shares the first three notes with Messiaen’s masterpiece and echoes its emotional depth. More than just an homage, the piece is a reflection on the current state of the pedal steel guitar and Alcorn’s hopeful vision for its future. She envisions the instrument’s entire structure – from its legs and pedals to the wood, strings, tuning keys, bridge, nut, and pickups – contributing to a rich narrative. Alcorn expresses her unwavering belief that the steel guitar will once again find its voice, singing with majesty, ecstasy, and beauty reminiscent of Messiaen’s grandeur.
The Glass is Already Broken: Poetry in Steel Guitar Sound
“The Glass is Already Broken” takes a different approach, serving as a musical accompaniment to a recitation of the poignant poem “Broken Glass” by Amarillo, Texas poet Richard Todd. Here, the steel guitar likely acts as a sonic canvas, enhancing the poem’s themes of fragility and resilience through carefully chosen tones and textures.
The First and Second Turning of the Wheel: A Silent Dialogue
In “The First Turning of the Wheel” and “The Second Turning of the Wheel,” Alcorn engages in a musical conversation with the legacy of Bob Graettinger, the innovative composer and arranger known for his work with Stan Kenton’s “This Modern World/City of Glass.” Graettinger’s compositions evoke a stark and isolating urban landscape, filled with existential loneliness yet imbued with a strange musical beauty. Alcorn’s pieces are conceived as an “open letter” to Graettinger, a dialogue across time and musical styles. She describes it as a “conversation with a dear friend whom I’ve never met,” a “soft hand on the shoulder,” a “touch to impart what in words is inexpressible.” The “Second Turning” continues this silent exchange, exploring similar sonic territory with subtle shifts in touch, sound, and emphasis on the steel guitar.
Three Minute Warning: Hope in the Face of Uncertainty
“Three Minute Warning” reflects a more contemporary anxiety, grappling with a sense of unease about the future of the planet and its inhabitants. Alcorn acknowledges the difficulty in maintaining optimism in the face of global challenges. The title itself, “Three Minute Warning,” suggests imminent danger, yet the inclusion of “warning” also implies a crucial element of hope – a chance to avert disaster. For Alcorn, music embodies this hope. She sees music as “the notes, the sounds, the vast and limitless universe that exists within and between each note, each sound, each breath, and every smile.” She expresses her hope that humanity will awaken to this inherent melody, a “dark and mysterious, a primordial song of the heart” that has been present throughout our lives, waiting to be heard.
Through these diverse compositions, Susan Alcorn demonstrates the profound expressive potential of the steel guitar. She transcends genre limitations, using the instrument to explore complex emotions, philosophical concepts, and musical histories. Her work invites listeners to reconsider the steel guitar, not just as a country music staple, but as a versatile and deeply evocative instrument capable of conveying a vast spectrum of human experience.
