Soy Mi Propia Casa

"Soy Mi Propia Casa" is the first in a series of compositions setting the words of Mexican poets, inspired by the three years I spent living in Mexico City.

The song, a vocal piece performed by HOWL, sets the first stanza of "Yo Soy Mi Propia Casa" (I Am My Own House) by the legendary poet Pita Amor (published 1946) in which Amor depicts her interior world through the metaphor of the house of her childhood. For me, the poem is an exploration of loneliness, anxiety and identity, which are themes I set out to to capture through my setting.

I have yet to make a studio recording of the piece but you can hear a rehearsal recording below.

Casa redonda tenía
de redonda soledad:
el aire que la invadía
era redonda armonía
de irrespirable ansiedad.
 
Las mañanas eran noches,
las noches desvanecidas,
las penas muy bien logradas,
las dichas muy mal vividas.

Summer 2022