The Rage and Reconciliation of King Lear

Scored for mixed chorus, bassoon, and piano, The Rage and Reconciliation of King Lear by Adrienne Inglis weaves passages from Shakespeare’s King Lear with signature phrases of the Rev. Dr. Milton H. Riemer. Dr. Riemer’s words bring insight and reflection to the poignant narrative of a parent-child relationship. Outside in a raging storm, King Lear angrily punishes himself for foolishly excluding his favorite daughter, Cordelia, from a portion of his kingdom. As mental illness takes hold, he suffers from curious confusion but understands his failings and begs Cordelia’s forgiveness. The Scottish air Etrick Banks provides melodic material that yields a royal fanfare, lament, thunderstorm, dementia, regret, and reconciliation. Crunchy chords and unsettling dissonances punctuate the sounds of modal chants and medieval polyphony. Employing Original Pronunciation for the Shakespeare text yields the best vocal result.