Jonathan Berger
Miracles and Mud (2007) for string quartet commissioned by the St. Lawrence String Quartet
Miracles and Mud alludes to very brief fragments of two folk songs, one Palestinian, the other, Israeli. Each song depicts an emotional bond to the land.
The title is a pun on two types of coffee, one, the European instant coffee the other Arabic coffee – respectively referred to as ‘nes’ (miracle) and ’botz’ (mud).
Upon entering any household in Israel or Palestine, the guest is typically greeted with the question ‘Nes or botz’ (literally, miracle or mud). The work juxtaposes the music of these two cultures – sometimes set in violent contrast, and other times finding their common ground. In performance, the work has been alternatively described by reviewers as ‘hopeful and optimistic’ or ‘desperately pessimistic’. Depending upon the news of any particular day, either interpretation may be appropriate.
“…new music that pleases as well as provokes.” – David Perkins, The Raleigh News and Observer.
