Words and Silences
by Brian Harnetty
WORDS AND SILENCES (2022)
Words and Silences is a sonic portrait of the Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton (1915-68). In 1967, he was given a tape recorder to use while alone in his Kentucky hermitage. The recordings he made are intimate, ranging from thoughts on Samuel Beckett, Sufi mystics, Michel Foucault, and the 1967 Louisville racial protests. The accompanying music subtly draws from jazz, folk, and sacred music Merton loved throughout his life. The video offers a contemplative exploration of Merton’s hermitage and surrounding landscapes.
CUE #1: “Sound of an Unperplexed Wren” (audio track: #1; video: 00:00; score: p. 4).
Here, Merton first makes use of his tape recorder. He listens to birds, and talks about the writings of Samuel Beckett.
CUE #2: “Breath, Water Silence” (audio track: #7; video: 29:55; score: p. 59).
Merton talks about the Sufi mystic Ibn al-‘Arabî (1165–1240). The music subtly draws on early Kansas City piano and reflects the “breathing” and “watery” qualities of Merton’s words.
SOUND RECORDING
(FULL-LENGTH, AUDIO ONLY; RUNNING TIME - 50:00)