Rachel Carson was a mid-century marine biologist who founded the modern environmental movement through her efforts to restrain the use of industrial pesticides, as in her 1962 publication “The Silent Spring”. She also published a trilogy of books about the ocean, which inspired the pieces in this musical project. “Return to the sea” was her working title for the second of these books.
Four songs take their inspiration from Carson’s life and work. To complement these relatively serious pieces, the fanciful band “The mid-century molluscs” present a rumba, samba and bossa nova. Additional ocean-themed pieces round out the program.
Recording the music is in progress, but here are some of the pieces, including lyrics.