I: The Tyger

Never did I think a piece of music could have a heartbeat of its own, until I created this composition. I have always been a fan of epic cinematic music, and it has always been goals of mine to one day write such a work. When Herb Berendsen, conductor of the Oshkosh West High School Chorale, contacted me to write a piece about an animal, I knew that this was my opportunity to fulfill that dream.

Immediately I went on a hunt for the perfect text and came across the poem, The Tyger, written by William Blake. After reading this text, my mind went to the deepest and darkest pits of middle earth. Instantly, sounds of forging steel, chains, fire and percussion began to flood my mind as I conceived the thought of this animal being forged. After this, imagery of the dark, damp and dreary location that this animal was created entered my imagination. One exciting concept led to the next, and before I knew it, the tyger had come to life through my music.

Although I know this composition is not really a living and breathing entity, it is hard to believe that such an animal does exist. Where could a creature with such strength, elegance and poise come from? Who could conceive such a thought as the tyger? “Did he who made the lamb make thee?"

-Zachary J. Moore

Creatures of Earth

Many may think that the idea of a song comes when a commission is contracted; however, the true genesis of “Creatures of Earth” comes from about three years ago while getting pizza with one of my professors. I was discussing with him a new commission I received called, “The Tyger.” This discussion eventually lead into the topic of William Blake’s “The Lamb” and how the two creatures could be a representation of Heaven and Hell. This idea was truly novel to my mind… The pairing of the two poems in a cycles seemed like an obvious choice; however, I had never seen a composer do it. The Tyger by this moment had already been completed (not orchestrated) and was filled with both dissonance and tri-tones to represent the devil. The rhythm found in the introduction of the piece is symbolic of a heartbeat. Throughout composition, metallic sounds are used to represent the forging of the Tyger in the fires of Hell. In the end, the piece purposely ends on a musical question mark, a borrowed V7 chord, as if one is questioning who truly created the Tyger.