LyricFest, The Fire-Rider
363 views · Published 23 February 2017 · 6:48 · Indexed 12 November 2026
Channel: John Thornton · 2017 · Education
On February 12, 2017 I went to pianist Laura Ward’s home in the Mt Airy section of Philadelphia and heard her and Baritone John Moore rehearse Hugo Wolf’s song, “The Fire-Rider”. Artistic expression about the four elements - earth,air, water, and fire- has ancient roots, but Lyric Fest wants to relate them to contemporary issues facing America. Wolf’s song is based on a poem about a man who always seems to arrive before anyone else, whenever there’s a fire. We of course must wonder, did he set them? Laura’s friend, Dr. Dian Williams, is an expert on arsonists and gave insight into the mindset of these individuals.
