Songs of Desire, Love, and Loss [CF:111-40259]

The poetry of Pulitzer Prize winner Alan Dugan struck a chord with Matheson, who notes a certain contradiction in the poems and in his own writings - an emotional directness combined with complexity. Matheson chose seven Dugan poems, which span decades, in answering a 2004 commission by Carnegie Hall through the Weill Music Institute, and also chose the Pierrot ensemble to convey his impressions. "Matheson tends to build to a punch line, which often helps clarify Dugan's slight obscurities. You may not know what the poet means, but the music at least directs you to the right place emotionally." - Mark Swed, The Los Angeles Times