reason to believe (2011) 18'

program note

I wanted to make a piece about the inner thought process of a person who is not sure how, or why, to live. to do this I needed a text that felt like a litany of questions and statements and possibilities for self exploration, and I hit upon the idea of making the text out an internet search. the libretto for this piece is made up entirely from the results out of an internet search of the phrase AND I WILL MAKE IT, setting to music every iteration of that phrase plus whatever words follow it, in the order in which it appeared in the search – that day, that very moment. ‘and I will make it, and I will make it waste, and I will make it fit, and I will make it snow, and I will make it proud, etc….’ the weight of these statements accumulates until it begins to feel like the story of a single person, convincing himself or herself that life is worth living.

—David Lang

Libretto

Text by David Lang

And I will make it

And I will make it waste

And I will make it

And I will make it fit

And I will make it proud

And I will make it snow

And I will make it better

And I will make it

And I will make it come true

And I will make it happen

And I will make it a pit of clay

And I will make it for five dollars

And I will make it famous

And I will make it right

And I will make it worse

And I will make it known

And I will make it desolate

And I will make it

And I will make it lighter

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it for you

And I will make it up to you

And I will make it again for sure

And I will make it worth your while

And I will make it

And I will make it in the end

And I will make it

And I will make it at the mourning

And I will make it

And I will make it burn

And I will make it rhyme with another word

And I will make it up to you somehow

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it on my own

And I will make it longer

And I will make it this weekend

And I will make it into a link

And I will make it a proverb and a byword among all thepeoples

And I will make it as the mourning

And I will make it into a quilt

And I will make it count

And I will make it something to possess

And I will make it a devastated place

And I will make it private

And I will make it with my child

And I will make it available for you soon

And I will make it

And I will make it so

And I will make it perpetual desolations

And I will make it

And I will make it to her graduation

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog

And I will make it out of aluminum

And I will make it my foundation

And I will make it fast

And I will make it communicate

And I will make it worth thy while

And I will make it back, I know I can

And I will make it the law of the land

And I will make it

And I will make it clear

And I will make it work

And I will make it a top priority

And I will make it type

And I will make it appear

And I will make it

And I will make it through the day

And I will make it

And I will make it home

And I will make it my priority

And I will make it a goal of mine

And I will make it together

And I will make it again and again

And I will make it

And I will make it big news on the frontpage

And I will make it

And I will make it easy to use

And I will make it if you will support me in this difficultsituation

And I will make it soon

And I will make it to the top

And I will make it desolate forever

And I will make it back into the mix

And I will make it happen for you

And I will make it look good

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it available

And I will make it all true

And I will make it

And I will make it in gaza

And I will make it as comfortable an atmosphere as Ican for you

And I will make it my mission to get you where you wantto be in life

And I will make it again

And I will make it

And I will make it all up to you

And I will make it home alive

And I will make it for you

And I will make it

And I will make it so it costs less

And I will make it very much worth your time

And I will make it

And I will make it so that you will follow

And I will make it into rafts to go by sea

And I will make it even easier

And I will make it

And I will make it up I promise

And I will make it available to you

And I will make it

And I will make it right for free

And I will make it out alive right now

And I will make it a proverb and a byword among allpeoples

And I will make it

And I will make it very clear

And I will make it soon

And I will make it for them

And I will make it

And I will make it all right with you

And I will make it available to the public

And I will make it this time

And I will make it some day

And I will make it a perpetual desolation

And I will make it work somehow

And I will make it

And I will make it easy for you

And I will make it my legacy

And I will make it my goal

And I will make it open

And I will make it

And I will make it to dallas

And I will make it up to you, I promise

And I will make it rustle and crackle

And I will make it

And I will make it public

And I will make it one of these days, I promise

And I will make it easier for you

And I will make it tomorrow

And I will make it a point to be quiet

And I will make it together this weekend

And I will make it come out well

And I will make it unnecessary for them

And I will make it

And I will make it up to them

And I will make it before the season is out, mark mywords

And I will make it interesting

And I will make it a good one

And I will make it down again

And I will make it to the yacht club

And I will make it for you immediately

And I will make it

And I will make it again often

And I will make it a point to go back and try it

And I will make it

And I will make it up to each and every one of you

And I will make it later

And I will make it more realistic

And I will make it vast as sky

And I will make it through

And I will make it a priority

And I will make it work for you

And I will make it through the winter

And I will make it a top priority for my first year aspresident

And I will make it

And I will make it more presentable

And I will make it my awesome everything

And I will make it go well with you

And I will make it truth

And I will make it

And I will make it a possession

And I will make it all the way

And I will make it a point to comply with you from rightnow on

And I will make it live

And I will make it a number one hit

And I will make it back

And I will make it my career

And I will make it there

And I will make it happy

And I will make it to the final

And I will make it to retreat in the sight of thy rays

And I will make it

And I will make it tomorrow if I can

And I will make it go

And I will make it a lot more clear with the use ofimages

And I will make it into a cushion

And I will make it

And I will make it so as the image in this mirror doesbecome reality

And I will make it

And I will make it available to everyone once it isfinished

And I will make it a personal goal

And I will make it a life goal of mine

And I will make it

And I will make it one of our top priorities

And I will make it as easy as I possibly can

And I will make it alive

And I will make it so that you follow my decrees

And I will make it

And I will make it or not

And I will make it to may

And I will make it happen with everyone’s help

And I will make it for you then

And I will make it easy

And I will make it

And I will make it fit your doll

And I will make it for thee

And I will make it prompt

And I will make it my mission to share my experience

And I will make it a point to adhere to you from now on

And I will make it disappear totally

And I will make it up to you in every way I know how

And I will make it available tomorrow

And I will make it my priority to help these youngindividuals succeed

And I will make it through the day and I will smile

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it just for you

And I will make it

And I will make it smaller

And I will make it

And I will make it like a time of mourning

And I will make it a point to allow extra time

And I will make it more heart winning

And I will make it in

And I will make it one of the best

And I will make it freely available

And I will make it a point to make sure

And I will make it yours

And I will make it

And I will make it known when I do

And I will make it

And I will make it okay

And I will make it all caps

And I will make it

And I will make it impossible

And I will make it on my own and don’t worry about me

And I will make it as you have it

And I will make it there eventually

And I will make it an everlasting desolation

And I will make it done in less than five minutes

And I will make it active as possible

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it official

And I will make it a point

And I will make it real, even if you don’t believe it

And I will make it my new theme song

And I will make it through this week too

And I will make it through this night alive

And I will make it all effortless

And I will make it right any way I can

And I will make it

And I will make it long

And I will make it a point to write

And I will make it up somehow

And I will make it through this day

And I will make it a position to follow you from now on

And I will make it my new project

And I will make it mine

And I will make it instrumental

And I will make it go insane

And I will make it

And I will make it accordingly

And I will make it to your specifications

And I will make it a level to comply with you from nowon

And I will make it big enough for everyone

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it my duty

And I will make it for my inlaws

And I will make it even better

And I will make it unstable

And I will make it through this

And I will make it up

And I will make it

And I will make it very short

And I will make it here

And I will make it a memorable experience for you

And I will make it hot

And I will make it hotter for you

And I will make it

And I will make it a reality

And I will make it all about you

And I will make it as realistic as possible

And I will make it

And I will make it out alive

And I will make it quick

And I will make it

And I will make it available for you

And I will make it known to the whole world

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it home safely

And I will make it come true somehow

And I will make it an annual event

And I will make it beautiful

And I will make it this time around

And I will make it

And I will make it

And I will make it to the mountain top

And I will make it a point in every city that I visit

And I will make it so beautiful

And I will make it funny

And I will make it for you with pleasure

And I will make it fine

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