The Good Life
I. Welcome

II. Green

III. City Works

IV. The Good Life

V. Smoky Town

VI. Used to Be

VII. Grey and Brown

VIII. The Space Between Us

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Derek Bermel was born in New York in 1967. He composed The Good Life, based on a libretto by Wendy S. Walters, on a commission from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir, and made possible thanks to the generosity of The Heinz Endowments, in honor of Pittsburgh’s 250^th birthday in 2008. These are the world premiere performances. The score calls for soprano soloist, baritone soloist, chorus, 2 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, piano, celeste, harp, and strings. Duration is approximately 35 minutes.
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The Good Life is an oratorio in eight movements that are played without pause. The work depicts various stages in the evolution of an American industrial city; the presence of both choir and soloists emphasizes the duality of individuals and the community, striving to be heard as they confront and respond to the changing environment they inhabit.

In the opening “Welcome” fanfare, the choir frames the narrative, inviting the audience into the story. The second movement, “Green”—introduced by an English horn solo—anticipates both the optimism and anxiety of discovering an unknown land. The community expresses a desire to lay down roots and create a hometown, and the pace quickens. As the city is built, the rhythm becomes steadier and percussive work sounds emanate from the orchestra. The spurt of growing activity culminates in the fourth movement, “The Good Life,” in which “progress”—the potential of all this growth—is attained, even surpassed. The city chugs along incessantly, reaching a climactic frenzy as the choir exuberantly celebrates “bigger, faster, louder . . . burning up the hours.”

In the aftermath of this explosive burst of energy comes a series of more somber reflections: in “Smoky Town,” the choir bears witness to a city that has degenerated as a result of the land’s exploitation; the townspeople lament the lack of community (“Used to Be”), and two citizens yearn for a nostalgic past in “Grey and Brown.” Out of these meditations a question emerges: “What will fill the space between us?” The ghostly entreaty resonates, echoing rhetorically throughout the chorus. Contained within the question are the seeds of a solution; remnants of the city’s past are unearthed and the townspeople reach back to the green roots of their history. They move forward, seeking to imagine—and create—a brighter future.

The Good Life was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir, through a grant from the Heinz Foundation. Special thanks to Betsy Burleigh, Jerry Blackstone, Todd Vunderink, Maestro Slatkin, and the wonderful staff of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

                                                        —Derek Bermel



In this piece, the phrase “The Good Life” represents that perfect balance between hard work and generous reward for it. It was what immigrants and free people aspired to create in towns smelted out of industry during the late 19^th century. But by the middle of the 20^th, the decline of manufacturing in many cities was a sea change that affected the individuals and families within the community on a deeply personal level. This work represents the collective and individual voices of such a community in its efforts to decipher how the evolution and devolution of their city feels.

Even during the bleakest moments of this story, the voice of the community evidences optimism. This is because the desire to live the good life is unwavering. And while most working people know the “good life” is often fleeting, temporary or sometimes even completely illusive, it is still an ideal everyone yearns for.

                                                        —Wendy S. Walters