Delayed Discretion (2019) for coloratura soprano and flute

This riddle-poem by René Campbell suggests different answers, left open for the reader to decide. To me, the riddle describes two lovers, who neglect to reveal true feelings before time stands still. This interpretation guided me while setting the poem, characterizing both the soprano and flute as one of the two lovers. Though both lines are drawn from the same material, their melodies rarely align, signifying that the lovers’ communication never results in unity. Rather, a drone sounds in one voice – representing the ghost of past words – as the other assumes the main melodic role.