Premiere Recordings

Beloved poet Walt Whitman (1819–1892) invented a new poetic language to express himself “…freely, fully and truly.” Musical visionary Cris Forster (b. 1948) invented new musical instruments for the same reason. Written for Chrysalis I, Harmonic/Melodic Canon, and voice, Song of Myself: Intoned Poems of Walt Whitman is a setting of eleven poems from Whitman’s masterwork, Leaves of Grass. Forster performed his work at the prestigious Berlin Music Festival, then returned home to create this memorable recording in 1980. In perfect concord with Whitman’s poetry, Forster infused his music with personal energy, passionate spirit, and free-thinking individuality.