‘The Village:  Two Poems of David St. John,’ commissioned by and dedicated to the Hilliard Ensemble, was completed in Spring 2004.  David St. John is a wonderful Los Angeles-based poet who writes compelling poems about landscapes and human love.  The two poems I chose are from a set called ‘Nocturnes & Aubades.’  They create vivid scenes – by turns lighthearted and intense – and very musical glimpses into the emotions of lovers.  In the year before composing this piece I worked closely with the Hilliard Ensemble as the conductor in performances and an ECM recording of music by Stephen Hartke, and I came to know their unique sound very well.  It was a pleasure, then, to compose this piece with the voices of David, Stephen, Rogers and Gordon clearly in my mind’s ear.     - Donald Crockett