Commissioned by the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, Larry Alan Smith, President. Recipient of the ASCAP-Lotte Lehmann Foundation Art Song Commission, 2010
Explaining the Sea to My Daughter for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano
(2010)
Music by
Eric Guinivan Poem by
Heather Dundas
Duration: 4 Minutes
Explaining the Sea to My Daughter If you were Ophelia it would drown you, Singing lovely songs, your red hair winding Poetic corkscrews around your head, Your blue eyes staring at the sun. If you were Calypso it would trap you, Surrounding your island, your bored feet circling As you wait for a lost sailor to wash up, Your hook voice baited with lewd promise. If you were a witch it would melt you, Screeching mad curses, your hag hands writhing Made dangerous with time and neglect Your wickedness dissolving into salt. But you're just a girl and it's just water. You're eleven, we're home, you're mine. Too soon, the sea will whisper to you, then Your own boat will carry you away. - Heather Dundas
Commissioned by the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, Larry Alan Smith, President. Recipient of the ASCAP-Lotte Lehmann Foundation Art Song Commission, 2010
- Explaining the Sea to My Daughter Text Heather Dundas Flowing, q = 72 poco accel.
p
pp
pp
5
you
A Tempo
If p
f
it would drown
p
pp
p
you
[2-2-3]
mf
7
poco rit.
3
were O - phe - lia
3
Music Eric Guinivan
poco accel.
poco rit.
for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano (2010)
Sing - ing love - ly songs
f
your red
hair
wind - ing
p
Po -
mf p [3-2-2]
Music © 2011 by Eric Guinivan - Text © 2010 by Heather Dundas Text used by permission from the author.
9
3
et
-
ic cork - screws
a - round your
f
p
head
your
p mf
poco rit.
blue
eyes
[2-2-3]
pp
f
11
star - ing at the
mf
sun
Slightly Slower, q = 66 13
poco accel.
2
poco rit.
pp
p
A Tempo (q = 66)
[2-2-3]
pp
15
poco accel.
poco rit.
pp
17
round- ing your is
-
land
mp
p
pp
cir - cling
As you
dim.
mf
3
mf
your bored feet
If
Sur -
you
p
trap
[2-2-3]
mf
it would
19
p
pp
p
you were Ca - lyp - so
3
A Tempo
6
6 p
3
21
3
wait
for
a
lost
mf
up
25
f
bait - ed
4
p
lor
with
lewd
6
dim.
hook
voice
wash
p
mp
prom - ise
mf
to
mp
3
Your
sai -
p
23
6
p
mf q = h.
27
3
If
6
6
ff
6
6
6
6
(both hands)
29
q = h. q. = 132
p
f
f
you were a witch
it would melt you
p
(non - )
34
f
mf
cur - ses
f
your hag
f
mf
screech - ing mad
p f sim.
hands
writh - ing
f
p
made
dan - ger - ous with
p
5
39
44
f
and ne - glect
your wick - ed- ness
dis - sol - ving
f
mf
to
ff
48
salt
ff
Freely, q = 60 pp
p
3
mf
and it's just wa - ter
p
But you're just a girl
6
f
f
in -
mf
you're e - lev - en
pp
p
you're home
time
you're
p
52
mine
q = 52
Too soon the sea
p
mf
3
will whis - per to
you
Then, your
poco rit.
Flowing, q = 72 poco rit.
poco accel.
poco rit. 55
A Tempo pp
mf
own boat
will
car - ry you
[2-2-3]
mp
p
p
mf
poco rit.
poco accel.
59
a - way
molto rit.
Long
pp
ppp
7