Rumsfeld's 'Poetic' Voice Set to Music
   By RON HARRIS, Associated Press Writer
   May 12, 2004
   http://tinyurl.com/259tx

   SAN FRANCISCO - After hearing Defense Secretary Donald H.
   Rumsfeld dress down the media at Pentagon press briefings,
   two San Francisco musicians came to an inevitable conclusion:
   his words simply must be set to chamber music.

   So they've taken Rumsfeld's explanations of world affairs and
   set them to airy classical compositions.

   "The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld and Other Fresh American Songs"
   includes "The Unknown" from Rumsfeld's Feb.  12, 2002, briefing
   on the situation in Iraq:

   "As we know,
   "There are known knowns.
   "There are things we know we know.
   "We also know there are known unknowns ... "

   now those words are lyrics sung by soprano Elender Wall, set
   to the lofty chords of composer and pianist Bryant Kong.

   The self-published CD has been featured on National Public
   Radio and several Web sites.  Kong is hoping coverage will
   fuel brisk sales.

   Kong - no fan of the Bush administration says Rumsfeld's
   unscripted remarks are at once deliberate and casual, and
   often simply odd.  The combination is perfect for classical
   music, Kong said in an interview with The Associated Press.

   "What we show in the songs is that we believe that Rumsfeld
   is telling a story that doesn't hold up that he is trying to
   sell a war that is not justified," Kong said.  "These classically
   based forms are a great way of doing that."

   Among those enjoying the sendup: Rumsfeld himself!

   "Someone gave me a copy of this thing, and here is this woman
   with a wonderful voice singing my press conference," Rumsfeld
   marveled at a meeting of the Newspaper Association of America
   last month.  "Now, if that doesn't tell you something about
   the state of the world!"

   Last year, journalist-humorist Hart Seely took selected
   Rumsfeld briefings and without changing a word, presented
   them in the form of free verse, sonnets and haiku in his book
   "Pieces of Intelligence: The Existential Poetry of Donald H.
   Rumsfeld."

   Kong, who got permission to use Seely's work for his musical
   compositions, has considered whether the words of other top
   politicians might work as forms of art.  He thinks President
   Bush's statements lack the necessary substance, while Democratic
   presidential candidate John Kerry would put people to sleep.

   "Public figures deserve what they get in terms of artistic
   treatment and George Bush's misstatement's are a desk calendar,"
   Kong said wryly.  "I guess John Kerry's speech would be a
   very long tone poem.  It would have to be at least 45 minutes
   long."

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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