Percussion Instruments FM radio, FM transmitter, Vibraphone, G# Whirley, Low E Gong, a little brass bell, 3x Chinese Tom-Toms, Chinese “doing” cymbal, 5x temple blocks, xylophone, big cymbal, finger cymbals, little bell on a string, 5x Jars of Brandy, a few little rocks, flexitone, pitched wine glasses (A, A#, B), D# gong, hollow frog (or wood block), snare drum, several ceramic plates, hi-hat, chicken egg, low G# Gong i - FM radio, FM transmitter, Vibraphone, G# Whirley, low E Gong ii - Low E Gong, little bell, 3x Chinese Tom-Toms, Chinese “doing” cymbal, 5x temple blocks, xylophone, Vibraphone iii - xylophone, big cymbal, finger cymbals, Vibraphone iv - FM radio, FM transmitter, little bell on a string, 5x Jars of Brandy, a few little rocks, flexitone, pitched wine glasses (A, A#, B) v - Vibraphone, G# Whirley, pitched wine glasses (A, A#, B), D# gong, hollow frog (or wood block), ceramic plates, snare drum, hi-hat, chicken egg vi - FM radio, FM transmitter, Vibraphone, Low G# Gong Staging and Costume Performers may choose the extent to which they wish to include costume and staging in performance. The stage should be very dark and highlighted with blue „moonlight‟ lighting. Props should at least include a worn couch upon which Mister Moon sits as he drinks brandy and tells his tale. Other Notes -
In addition to the directions given, performers are encouraged to ad-lib movement about the stage. Mister Moon is also required to play the cello, and the part has been written in such a way that a proficient musician with no previous experience on the instrument should be able to perform both parts.
Premiere performance January 23, 2011 @ College-Conservatorium of Music, Cincinnati
Counter Tenor & Cello – Michael Linert Percussion – Mike Lunoe
i - hello, Mister Moon
Voice
q.=63-66
mp Sitting back singing to yourself, pained, burdened and slightly drunken. Look down and around but do not connect with audience
Full of the light of
Violoncello
Mis - ter Mis - ter Mis - ter Moon
Rubber mute Bow between bridge and tailpiece sul II & III
out of radio sound
Vibraphone FM Radio Whirley (G#)
audience laughter, clapping (transmit track 1 via FM transmiter. cresc. as you tune slightly in and out to either side of the station for c. 30")
q.=63-66
n
p
Continues to play in background until end of (i)
7
Voice
yes - sir yes - sir yes - sir yes - si -ree
full of the light of Mis - ter Mis - ter Mis - ter Moon
Vib.
yes - sir yes - sir yes - sir yes - si -
meld words into [u]
spoken manic nonsence. Ad lib. 12
Voice
...but I said, "where oh where do butterflie ssleep?" and he said,
"onastarlitnightabutterflyturnsintoadragonfly"
which in A.'s opinion is very serious indeed. How shall I put it?
It is a most astonishing development
ree!
Vib.
20
Tr. Solo
with an eerie, shimmering vibrato (like a theramin)
[u]
Vib.
(improvise softly and fairly slowly with these pitches)
g# whirley
meld [u] into words becoming frantic 25
Tr. Solo
Vib.
So I said, "wellblowthedragonfliesnose andwrapthefishinapapertissue" ... and he said,
"BUT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH STARS!"
"There aren't enough stars?" There aren't enough stars!
meld [u] into words (becoming even more frantic)
meld words into [u] (deeply pondering the lack of stars)
In A.'s opinion it's very serious indeed
[u]
Vib.
g#whirley
it's very im- -portant, becauseinA'sopinion,
meld words into [u] There aren't enough stars!! there aren't enough stars!!
Vib.
(etc. continue rambling about the lack of stars)
[u]
g#whirley vib
(sit up with sudden realization)
"I'M A STAR..."
low E gong
f
(Turn off radio)
ii - the Moon and a cigarette q=c. 66
Treble
Violoncello
Vibraphone
p
one
night
Percussion
mf low e gong
3
3
3
on my way home from the
ci ne
(operatic)
3
ma
I
3
hurled a rock at
improv. tasteful grove with 3x chinese tomtoms & chinese doing cymbal +occasional temple block
q=c. 66 little bell
p
stretch
pure tone
Tr.
p
mis - ter
nasty tone f
Moon
that
pause ostinato
Perc.
3
rock
went o -ver the chim
3
-
ney
and
restart ostinato
f
Tr.
struck mis - ter
Moon
p
as
he
sing - ing a
3+4+3
was
(lyrical, freely)
(hum)
song
pause ostinato
temple-blocks
Perc.
e=76-80
3
Tr.
3
he flushed red
with an
(pale, eerie)
-
the wa -ning mis -ter Moon's tail end chipped off
ger(rrrrr)
"Now
(bow below bridge just above tailpiece) grating, mournful cello
p
n
vib.
restart, getting louder and angrier, add templeblocks & more cymbal
Perc.
p
p
(ostinato culminates in tamtam)
p Tr.
Vc.
Vib.
Perc.
put
me back
to - ge
e=q
-
like a nervous stutter
ther!"
"I'm
3
tru
-
ly
sor - ry
3
I
beg your par - don"
play 5 - 6 random pizz. notes
speech like (but not too much)
xylophone
f
q=e
Tr.
(pale, eerie)
"It's
p
n
un - par - do -na - ble"
grating
Vc.
Vib.
p
Perc.
play 3 - 4 random pizz. notes
"For hea -ven's
echo "put me back together"
vib.
e=q
xylophone
f
p
f
e=q=50
rall. q=e Tr.
p
(freely)
"No no
Vc.
Put me back
vib.
Vib.
no no nono no!
p
to - ge -
ther!"
Mis -ter
restart ostinato
Perc.
rall.
p
p
Tr.
Moon
Perc.
looked
tra -ded for - giv - nes
un - for - giv
3
Tr.
-
3
Vibraphone
but
the end
leans back relaxed and lights up a cigarette.
p
end ostinato
in
3
3
ga - rette
solo
Perc.
3
ci -
ing
for a
3
ppp
iii - the moon in his pocket q=120 Cigarette drops out of mouth as Mister Moon is rudely awoken by xylophone.
Voice
cello cymbals temple blocks finger cymbals
(snap pizz.)
f
xylophone p f f f f
Tr. Solo
fp
Mi
Vc.
f
fp
-
ster Moon was wal -king with him - self in -side his poc -ket
on
a hi -lly road his shoe -lace
xylo. f
p
f
p
Tr. Solo
came
Vc.
xylo.
un
(drop pitch)
-
done
he
f
fp
was ben -ding down to
tie it
f
when
fp
f
f
fp
Tr. Solo
Mis
Vc.
f
ter moon rolled out his
e=e
poc - ket
p pale, eerie
Mis
-
ter
big cymbal
tovibraphone Percussion
xylo.
fp
f
f
p
Tr. Solo
Vc.
Perc.
xylo.
Moon
rolled
out
his
poc
-
ket
p
and down the
slope
he rolled
3
Tr. Solo
3
3
3
o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and
* At this point Mister Moon rolls off-stage and out of the concert hall. His voice grows more and more distant until it has disapeared completely. Left on-stage in silence for a few moments, the percussionist begins
n 3
(Mister Moon can again be heard, arriving on opposite side of stage)
3
3
over - and o -ver and o -ver and
*all players cont. repeating all parts until Mister Moon arrives on-stage and, exhausted, picks up his cello to joins vib.
sus. finger cymbals
Perc.
f
vib.
Tr. Solo
p
cresc.
vib.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
f with heavy rock feel arco
Perc.
f
o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and
Vc.
f
3
3
3
f with heavy rock feel
3
o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and o -ver and
o -ver and o -ver and o - ver
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
(exhausted)
3
Tr. Solo
un -to the
Vc.
Perc.
vib.
Tr. Solo
Vc.
ends
f
the
f
earth
temple blocks
f
Xylophone
f
of
f
vib. p f f
Tr. Solo
f (excitedly)
ster Moon ran af - ter Mi -ster
Mi
Vc.
vib.
he
was mov ing e -ver so
quick - ly
Vc.
since
f
Tr. Solo
Moon but
pizz. ad lib.) (randomly placed
the
in (pizz.)
vib.
ter - val be -tween
Mi
-
ster Moon and Mis
ter moon grew
Tr. Solo
far - ther and
far - ther and
arco
Vc.
vib.
far - ther and
far - ther and
far - ther and
far - ther
a
Tr. Solo
part
Vc.
3 3 3 3
and lost sight of him -self in the mist far be - low.
vib.
(snap pizz.)
f
-
* very free, with a lot of space Rythmicized sections q=84-88 Succession of event otherwise indicated through spacial notation. voice
iv - how i sobered up with a drunken swing
One
night
p Violoncello
5"
Percussion - fm radio little bell on a string in a jar of brandy/water flexitone
drop rock into brandy
tune and detune a little until track 2 is found.(Runs in the background thoughout mvmnt)
n
p 3"
Vibraphone
pp
pitched wine glasses (A,A#,B)
p
mp
3 3
2
I was wal kin' a - long
f suddenly angry
sing -ing a song
cello straight (rubber mute)
f (drunkenly)
small rocks in brandy
Wine Glasses
straight Vibraphone
p calmly
8" p
gently whistle a melody
when
I dropped in - to
a
well
f
HELP!
mp
plop bell into jar of brandy
(straight)
I shou -ted
cello
f
Vibraphone
mp
(swing)
and
some -bo -dy took the trou ble
to lo -wer a rope
p hushed, cresc.
straight pushing forwards (slight accell.)
slower
I inched my way out of the mouth
flexitone
f (operatic)
of a half -swilled
bran
- dy
mp
wine glasses
f
Vibraphone
f
bo - ttle
Voice
mp
which i
swing cello
p
f
was dan -gling from
f (frantically shake bell in and out of brandy)
attacca
one of my hands
v - on brawling with Mister Moon q=92 Voice
Violoncello
n
remove mute
wine glasses whirley with wire brushes xylophone vibraphone snare drum mf hi-hat q=92 frog egg plop hollow frog gong - d# jar of water gong
I
mp
f spit words/sing aggressively
Mr. Moon
Perc.
stopped
3
in
at a ca - fe
3
3
3
3
a big ball of a fe -llow was drin -king a beer
cont. ad lib. (on wine glasses only) with similar rhythms/pitches. maintain steady pulse.
Voice
he said
Violoncello
Perc.
f voice
ff be
Cello
here
"you shoul - dn't
pp
(ad lib.)
angrily
you're two hours
late!
(wine glasses ad lib.) perc.
3
"plop"
I said it's none of your damned busi-ness
(wine glasses ad lib.)
(gong)
'n he
said if
(ad lib.)
mp
Voice
3
f
peo -ple knew
pp
(ad lib.)
they'd give you
a thra - shing
ff
p
get out
get out
get
sounds of a brawl faster
Voice
out!
Cello
Whirley
ff agressive f
freely -contour should be loosely followed
smash plate
perc.
cymbals, gongs w metal beater
f
Vc. Vib. perc.
q=124
molto vib.
3
While
I
sta -
gered to my
3
feet
Mis ter Moon took flight
sim.
mp
cymbal
3
3
alternate unevenly rolled and unrolled notes
mf (with mallet handle) snare frog
(mallet ord. ) (do not roll triplets)
3
3
Voice
3
i picked up my pis -tol andfired
Vib.
he got a -way
3
3
ree -
as he
ling
(mallet ord. )
molto vib.
(with mallet handle)
but
3
3
3
3
(with mallet handle)
Voice
e=e
climbed the eas - tern
sky
Cello,
f
Vib.
Perc,
Vc.
f
vib.
snare
I
got
down
on
Vib.
(mallet ord. ) tamtam
Voice
f
f
tamtam
snare
3 3 3 3 3
one knee, took
aim
3
snare
pp
Voice
Vc.
(bang!)
Perc.
R.S
f
R.S
rubato, declamatory f
hi-hat
R.S
ff
f
Mis -ter Moon plumm -e - ted mp
mf large tamtam
(egg should spat on the beat)
cello
ff
and ev - ry - one cheered
bra - vo!
whip Perc.
ff
(an awkward applause)
ff
ff
vi - ton koro pii pii
Treble Solo
Violoncello
Rubber mute
c.130" Vibraphone
low G# gong
Play Track 3 Improvise using vib.and G# gong. Try to imitate the pitches you hear (A, B, C). Hold off using the gong until around the 30" mark. (The thrird gong signals end of improvisation.) Single notes as well as swelling repeated note gestures should be used. Do note use too many notes.
l.v
mp (Third gong - end of improv)
freely (q=c.60) p reflective
it
was a
"What
did
mp distantly frantic
night
like
this
you
say?"
(Cello) Bow between bridge and tailpiece sul II & III
(Gong)
l.v
p
p
"no doubt
it
was a night
like
this"
"What
did
you mean?"
(cello)
Bow between bridge and tailpiece sul II & III
l.v
(Gong)
p
you picked up
that
n
rock
Vibraphone
(full
of
the
light
of
mis
-
ter
mis
-
ter
mis
-
ter
Moon)
p
D.S