Gnomon
(1995) 12:00
(Wind band: pc2,2,3 bcl,2, 2atb sx/4,4,3,euph,tba/ 4 perc.)
Commissioned by Rick Moreno and the Capitol City Community Band, for the Viet Nam Memorial, Frankfort, KY
Level: advanced high school/ college/ professional
(for the Viet Nam Memorial, Frankfort, Kentucky)
Inscribed around the base of the gnomon in the same style used for official government grave markers throughout the nation including Arlington National Cemetery.
"For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under Heaven: a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what was planted;a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes (3:1-8)
In the course of my visit to Frankfort, Kentucky, for the premiere of my piece, The Miracle Mile, my host Rick Moreno took me to see the local sights of interest. After stopping at Daniel Boone's grave, we visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. A we approached the site, a tall steel appendage came into view. We parked and headed up the stairs to get a first-hand view of "Gnomon," the Kentucky Veterans Vietnam Memorial.
What I saw was absolutely overwhelming-physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I Was moved to silence. In the quiet of the moment-a quiet accompanied by the sound of birds, in the sacrosanct place surrounded by distant trees, I conjured up the sounds of distant bugles, martial drumming, marching, funereal hymns , and the popular folk songs that represented the anguish of America in the 1960's. "Rick, this place resounds with musical metaphor." One month later, Rick Moreno called to commission this piece, Gnomon, for the Capital City Community Band.
The musical materials represent the passing of time and the presence of death and incredible sadness. Correlations exist between the workings of a clock (including this sundial) and progress of the music - with the juxtaposition of things (sounds) civilian and military in the United States during the thirteen years of war, the presence of the 16th century death-chant and a constant ostinato of military drum tattoo, marching music, or the tick-tock of time with the melodic motive spelling HELIOS (sun).
Gnomon is the Greek word for the pointer of a sundial, and the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial bears that name with good reason. Engraved on the surface of the 215 ton blue-grey granite plaza are the names of the 1074 Kentuckians killed and the 20 Kentuckians missing in action in Vietnam, casualties incurred from 1962 through the 1975 evacuation of Saigon. ("The plaza is 89' 4 " long by 71' 1.5" wide, including the benches. The plaza contains 327 pieces of 4" thick granite with pieces ranging from 2,421 to 133 pounds in weight. The average weight of each plaza slab is 1,144 pounds and the largest pieces are 12' in length.") Towering above the plaza and visible for for some great distance around the Memorial is the stainless steel gnomon (or "pointer") "stands at 14.62" above the surface of the plaza and is 24.27" long. The angle of the gnomon is equal to the latitude, or 38" 19' 25", from horizontal and points to the true North Pole and Polaris, the North Star." On the plaza the name of each deceased Kentuckian is located so that the shadow of the gnomon, or sundial pointer, touches it on the actual anniversary of his death. Thus, every day is memorial day for a Kentucky Vietnam veteran.
The names of the 20 Kentuckians still listed as MIA or POW are located in front of the gnomon, where the shadow never falls, paying special tribute to their personal agony, and symbolizing our continued vigil for their return.
The area north of the winter solstice line is designed for ceremonies. The United States and Kentucky flags fly day and night and are located to each side of true north.
The Memorial's brilliant and poignant design is the work of Helm Roberts, a Lexington, Kentucky architect and veteran. The land was donated by the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1987.
The composer is proud to commit half of the royalties for this piece in perpetuity to the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc.
