composer inspired by artist’s letters

composer michael gordon was so moved emotionally by vincent van gogh’s letters to his brother, theo, that he wrote a suite of music. van gogh communicates the artist’s confession of “emotions and encounters that I wouldn’t want to admit to myself”, in six tracks corresponding to individual periods in van gogh’s life. “hague 2” developed from letters about his struggle to persevere in the face of criticism . . . the energetic “aries” was created out of his life in france when the artist was painting as many as three canvases a day . . . the final track “st. remy”, is named for the asylum to which vincent, with theo’s support, admitted himself in 1889. “instead of chaos of the asylum, i sense a certain peace” in these letters, says gordon. “he knows he’s become a painter, even if that’s not recognized by anyone else.”