The Great God Gun

“The Great God Gun” was an essay written by A. G. Gardiner (1865-1946). It appeared in a collection of short stories published in 1919 called “Leaves In The Wind”. Written during the first world war, a time of unprecedented violence and horror, its message is clear. I fashioned an original libretto inspired by the story, but took tremendous liberties, retaining only key phrases and images. The movements should be connected into one long piece, with no empty space between them unless indicated. (Accidentals are good for the whole bar.) -Steven Mark Kohn