Can You See? by Allison Loggins-Hull

Performed by members of the New Jersey Symphony. June 2021.

"Can You See?" was commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) for Arts in the Garden, a music series presented by both the NJSO and The Newark Museum of Art. I was asked to create an arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner with a mournful or somber approach that honors lives lost, while also pointing to what the role and responsibility of the living is.

The Star Spangled Banner refers to America as the "land of the free," yet America is a country rooted in colonialism, slavery, and violence. These foundations laid the framework for the racism, injustice, and inequality that exist today and that has existed since the country's inception. Confronting and acknowledging these truths begs us to question the true meaning and/or reality of the lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner, and "Can You See?" is a musical prompt to do just that.

Melodic material from The Star Spangled Banner is used throughout the flute and french horn lines, though the rhythms have been stretched out and are performed in a melancholy manner. These voices not only symbolize those we have lost in the name of "freedom," but also those who have fallen victim to our unique and inhumane systematic and institutionalized practices. Like the blurred truth of the National Anthem, the strings create a soundworld that is cloudy, uncertain, and bleary. The percussion reminds us that while it can often be difficult to stay steady, hopeful, and forward-looking in a country with these realities, there is a responsibility to remain purposeful and strong in the pursuit of change.