What the Chickpea said to the Cook

The somewhat unusual title of this piece comes from a poem by the 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi: Chickpea to Cook.  Composer Scott Good was inspired by its florid, quirky nature, charged with boiling.  The music is a tone poem of the Chickpea's transformation. It has also been used as a metaphor for classical music training and the relationship of student to teacher.

The music begins in a boiling chaos, and the chickpea leaps out in the winds - the bass drum "ladle" slaps the pea down, and sings his song with horn and cello.  After this, a state of grace, a ride on an elephant and then the final boiling to its cooked conclusion.

Chickpea to Cook

A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot
where it's being boiled.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.

"Don't you try to jump out.
You think I'm torturing you.
I'm giving you flavor,
so you can mix with spices and rice
and be the lovely vitality of a human being.

Remember when you drank rain in the garden.
That was for this."

Grace first. Sexual pleasure,
then a boiling new life begins,
and the Friend has something good to eat.

Eventually the chickpea
will say to the cook,
"Boil me some more.
Hit me with the skimming spoon.
I can't do this by myself.

I'm like an elephant that dreams of gardens
back in Hindustan and doesn't pay attention
to his driver. You're my cook, my driver,
my way into existence. I love your cooking."

The cook says,
"I was once like you,
fresh from the ground. Then I boiled in time,
and boiled in the body, two fierce boilings.

My animal soul grew powerful.
I controlled it with practices,
and boiled some more, and boiled
once beyond that,
and became your teacher

About the composer

Dr. Good is a Canadian composer of orchestral, chamber, performance art, and vocal works that have been successfully performed in North America, Europe, and Asia; he is also active as a trombonist, conductor, and concert curator.

Currently, Scott works in various musical avenues.  From 2008 to 2011, he was composer in residence with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.   He worked as curator for the Esprit Orchestra, and was also artistic director of earShot concerts from 1997-2002.

Scott has composed music for a variety of orchestras including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Vancouver Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and the Esprit Orchestra. Wind groups such as the Hard Rubber Orchestra, and the Hannaford Street Silver Band. Chamber groups such as Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal, Turning Point, and baroque ensemble I Furiosi.  Organizations such as the Montreal International Violin Competition, and the World Harp Congress, and soloists such as saxophonist Wallace Halladay, trumpeter Larry Larson, trombonist Alain Trudel, and harpist Elizabeth Volpé Blythe.

He has served as a trombonist in many orchestras, including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, the National Ballet Orchestra, and Esprit. As well, Scott has performed with contemporary music ensembles such as Patria Music Projects, Array Music, New Music Concerts and Contact.

Scott also performs with diverse ensembles such as the Glenn Buhr ensemble, the Human Remains, the Woodchoppers Association, and GUH.   He has also participated in recording projects with many other bands, songwriters, and jazz musicians.

Curators | Nos conservateurs

Dr. David Gardner
Ottawa Symphony Historian | Historien de l’ Orchestre symphonique d’ Ottawa

Alain Trudel
Ottawa Symphony Music Director | directeur musicale

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