Judah Adashi
Witness for SSAA children’s choir and piano
2017
Twenty years ago, after encountering W.S. Merwin's translations of Pablo Neruda, I sought out the poet's own work. The literal meaning of Merwin's oblique, unpunctuated phrases can be elusive, but that often strengthens their figurative power. Merwin's writing reminds me of Claude Debussy's injunction about music: “Never Vague. Always Ambiguous.� Witness sets to music three poems about the fraught relationship between human beings and the natural world. Merwin's environmental advocacy extends beyond the written word: over the course of four decades, he has cultivated a vast, biodiverse collection of palm trees at his home in Maui. In 2010, W.S. and Paula Merwin co-founded the Merwin Conservancy, to preserve this wellspring of art and life. Witness was commissioned by the Peabody Children's Chorus, and premiered on their summer 2017 tour to Seattle, Washington, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Commissioned by the Peabody Children's Chorus
Witness Duration: 7'
Judah Adashi (2017) Poetry by W.S. Merwin
1. Ash
Spacious, simply and freely
& 42
Alto 2
A1
∑
∑
& 42 œœ Œ P bell-like Piano ?2 ∑ 4 ° sempre 7 p j &Œ ‰ œ œ œ
the faith - ful
A2
Pno.
∑
&
A2
Œ
‰ j œ œ
The church
∑
∑
∑
∑
œ
œ
carved their
œ œ œ
œ
names by the
∑
∑
∑ œ
œ
sol - diers
œ
burned
œ
it
doors
∑
˙
∑
∑
œ
same
œœ Œ P ∑
œœ P
∑ ∑
œ
œ
names as
Œ ∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
down
∑
∑
∑
ours
Pno.
∑
˙
∑
?
&
∑
∑
∑
∑
?
∑
∑
∑
∑
13
wood
∑
∑
˙
built of
˙ ∑
∑
&
œ
∑
∑
∑
the for - est was
œ
∑
∑
∑
in
œ
∑
&
&
œ œ œ œ œ
∑
7
13
A1
q »§ª p (the first four phrases in A2/A1 may be sung by soloists)
œ Œ œ P ∑
∑ ∑
© 2017 by Judah Adashi | BMI "Ash," "Witness," and "Place" from Migration: New & Selected Poems by W.S. Merwin. Copyright © 2005 by W.S. Merwin, used by permission of The Wylie Agency LLC.
œ œœ F
Œ ∑
2
P j Œ ‰ & œ œ
20
S1
œ
œ
the next church where
S2
&
∑
Œ
‰
œ
œ
œ
the
first
had
œ
œ
P j œ the
A1
&
∑
œ
œ Œ
∑
œ œ œ
œ Œ
∑
stood
œ
œ
next church where
∑
˙
the
first had
∑
stood
∑
P Œ ‰ œj œ œ œ was built of
Pno.
20
&
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
?
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
26
S1
&
∑
∑
F œ
∑
F œ
œ
names were
S2
A1
&
∑
∑
& œ
‰ œj œ
& Œ
P ‰ j œ œ
œ
œ
Pno.
œ Œ
floors
œ
œ
with char - coal
floors
F œ
F
œ
names were
Œ
œ
œ
œ
names were
&
∑
∑
∑
?
∑
∑
∑
26
œ
names were
with char - coal
A2
∑
œ œ f œœ
œ œ œ writ - ten
in
œ œ œ writ - ten
in
œ black
œ black
œœ F œœ
œ œ œ
wood
Œ Œ
œ Œ
by the doors
œ œ œ
œ Œ
by the doors
œ œ œ
œ
œ Œ
black
œ œ œ
by the doors
œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œ
œ Œ
writ - ten
writ - ten
in
in
black
by the doors
Œ
∑
∑
Œ
∑
∑
3
& œ
œ
32
S1
same
S2
˙
names as
& œ
œ
same
A1
œ
ours
œ
˙
names as
ours
∑
&
œ
same
A2
∑
&
same
& œœ f ? œœ
32
Pno.
&
∑
&
∑
&
∑
38
S1
S2
A1
œ
œ
œ
names as
œ
œ
names as
& &
∑
?
∑
38
Pno.
42
43 ˙
Œ
42 œ
œ
43
Œ
42 œ
œ
43
∑
43
Œ
∑
3 4
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ œ Œ œœ F œœ Œ
ours
˙
∑
P œ
have
we
have
∑
P œ
∑
P œ we
42
Œ
ours
∑
œ œ
œ œ
sol - diers burned
œ
it
∑
˙
∑
down
œ it
down
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
2 4
∑
∑
œ
œ
a church
œ
œ
a church
œ
œ
œ
œ
a church
a church
œ
œ
where the
œ
œ
where the
œ
œ
œ
œ
where the
where the
œ
œ œ
oth - ers
œ
∑
˙
42
œ
have
∑
∑
œ
have
∑
sol - diers burned
˙
P œ we
∑
Œ
Œ
we
A2
43 ˙
∑ œœ f œ œ œ
stood
œ œ
oth - ers
œ œ
œ
œ œ
oth - ers
stood
oth - ers
stood
Œ
‰ œj 43 it's
œ
stood
œ
Œ
‰ œj 43 it's
œ œ
Œ
43
Œ
43
∑
∑
∑
∑
3 4
∑
∑
∑
∑
43
4
& 43 œ
œ œ
Œ
œ œ
Œ
& 43 Œ
Œ
‰
& 43 Œ
Œ
44
S1
made of
S2
& 43 œ
made of
A1
A2
42
ash
42 j 42 œ œ
‰
‰
j 2 œ 4 œ
‰
roof
A1
j 3 œ 4 ˙
Œ
no
roof
doors
no
43
∑
?3 4
∑
2 4
∑
3 4
∑
Œ
& œ & œ
Œ
& œ
Œ
& œ
Œ
earth
&
∑
?
∑
p ˙
∑
42
∑
42 œœœ F 2 œ 4 œœ
it's
ours
˙ earth
œ
no
œ
˙
˙
p
says
˙
p
˙
it's
˙
says
it's
∑ ∑
˙ ˙˙ P ˙˙ ˙
œ
thing on
∑ U
∑
U
∑
U
∑
U
U
ours
œ
thing on
Œ
ours
˙
-
œ
∑
U
˙
-
œ
Œ
U
ours
∑
œ
˙
it's
∑
earth
thing on
42
says
˙
thing on
œ -
˙
U
˙
says
-
œ
no
∑
p ˙
œ
doors
42
49
Pno.
Œ
∑
earth
A2
j 43 œ ˙
& 43
49
S2
42 œ
∑
no
no
44
S1
no
43
∑
42 œ
∑
ash
no
Pno.
43
∑
∑
U
˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙
*
Solemn, floating
S1
& 45
∑
S2
& 45
∑
A1
5 &4
∑
5 &4
∑
q »••
2. Witness
[2 + 3 except where otherwise indicated]
A2
q »••
& 45 œ œ œ œ œ p sempre ? 45 ∑
Pno.
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
Solemn, floating
p sempre
∑
∑
˙ I
˙.
˙
˙.
p sempre
∑
I
œ œ œ œ œ ∑
° sempre
5
œ œ œ œ œ
∑
∑
S1
&
∑
∑
∑
∑
S2
&
∑
∑
∑
∑
A1
& œ . œj ˙ .
∑
& œ . œj ˙ .
∑
A2
I
59
Pno.
&œ œ ?
want
œ œ œ ∑
j j œ œ œ ˙.
∑
j j œ œ œ ˙.
∑
I want to tell
want
∑
œ œ œ
œ ∑
∑
∑ ∑
j œ. œ œ œ œ
œ œ
j œ. œ œ œ œ
œ œ
I
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑
œ œ œ œ œ
[3 + 2]
I
I want to tell
œ œ œ œ œ œ
∑
œ œ œ œ œ
59
I
∑
want to tell what the
want to tell what the
œ
œ ∑
œ
6
&
∑
&
∑
64
S1
S2
∑
∑
p sempre œ Œ. J ˙.
∑
p sempre œ . Œ J ˙. I
∑
∑
∑
I
& œ œ œ ˙.
Ó
& œ œ œ ˙.
Ó
3
A1
Œ Œ
for - ests were like
Œ Œ
for - ests were like 64
Pno.
&œ ?
69
S1
&
S2
&
Œ . œJ œ ˙
∑
Œ . œJ œ ˙
∑
j œ. œ ˙.
∑
j œ. œ ˙.
∑
want
I
A1
A2
&
∑
&
∑
I
I
69
Pno.
&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ?
∑
œ
∑
I
∑
∑
œ œ œ œ œ
∑ ∑
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ 3
what the for - ests were like
œ œ œ
œ
∑
what the for - ests were like
3
A2
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ 3
∑ œ œ œ ˙ J J œ œ œ ˙ J J
œ œ œ œ œ ˙. 3
what the for - ests were like
œ œ œ œ œ ˙. 3
what the for - ests were like
j j œ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ œ ˙.
I want to tell
∑
∑
what the for - ests were like
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
∑
œ œ œ
j j œ œ œ ˙
I want to tell
want
˙.
∑
I want to tell
want
˙
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
I want to tell
want
I
˙.
I
œ œ œ
œ
˙
œ
œ ˙. œ œ œ œ 3
3
what the for - ests were like
œ œ œ ∑
œ
œ œ œ
œ ∑
7
&Ó
Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
∑
&Ó
Œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
∑
&Ó
Œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
∑
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
∑
74
S1
S2
A1
3
what the for - ests were
&Ó
Œ Œ
74
&œ œ œ œ œ ?
79
S1
S2
A1
& &
∑
œ.
œ ˙. J
I
will
œ. I
& Œ. & Œ.
j œ œ ˙
∑
Pno.
&œ œ
will
?
∑
∑
j œ ˙.
∑
˙.
I
will
speak
œ.
have to
œ œ œ œ J
˙.
œ.
j œ œ œ œ
˙.
œ.
j œ œ œ œ
œ œ
will
have to
will
have to
will
have to
œ œ œ ∑
œ œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ J
I
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
œ.
[3 + 2]
I
will
œ œ œ
Œ.
∑
I
∑
∑
I
œ œ œ
∑
j œ ˙. I
∑
j œ œ ˙
Œ.
like
will
I 79
œ
∑
I
like
∑
œ ˙. J
I
A2
œ
∑
˙.
˙
like
3
what the for - ests were
Pno.
I
3
what the for - ests were
A2
like
3
what the for - ests were
˙.
˙
∑
œ œ œ œ œ ∑
˙
∑
˙
∑
speak
œ œ œ œ œ œ 3
speak
˙
in a for - got - ten lan - guage
˙.
˙
speak
œ œ œ œ œ ∑
∑ œ œ œ
∑
œ œ
8
S1
S2
A1
&
∑
&
œ œ œ œ J
˙.
I
will
speak
œ.
∑
&
œ.
[3 + 2]
∑
84
A2
&
will
œ.
j œ œ œ œ
œ.
j œ œ œ œ
I
84
Pno.
&œ œ œ œ œ ?
∑
&Ó
Œ
89
S1
œ œ œ œ J
I
I
∑
have to
œ œ
have to
will
have to
will
have to
œ œ œ ∑
œœ œ œ œ œ 3
˙
˙.
∑
˙
∑
∑
˙.
œ œ œ œ œ œ 3
speak
Ó.
˙
S2
&Ó
Œ
œœ œ œ œ œ
˙
&œ œ œ
˙
∑
˙.
˙
speak
œ œ œ œ œ
∑
Ó.
∑
∑ ∑
&œ œ œ
˙
∑
∑
œ œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
∑
∑
∑
∑ ∑ ∑
Pno.
&œ œ œ ?
œ œ ∑
U
∑
long
∑
long
∑
long
∑
long
got - ten lan - guage
89
œ œ œ 3
in a for -
got - ten lan - guage
A2
3
in a for -
in a for - got - ten lan - guage
A1
œ œ œ
in a for - got - ten lan - guage
in a for - got - ten lan - guage 3
∑
speak
∑
˙
[3 + 2]
∑
U
∑
U
∑
U
∑
U
long
œ œ œ
∑
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ∑
∑
∑
˙.
∑
*
& 44 Ó
&˙
101
S1
S2
&˙
fruit
A1
&Ó
∑
∑
˙
the
œ œ
tree
Œ œ
the
œ œ
tree
œ #œ ˙ œ œ ˙
that bears the fruit
P Œ œ ˙
œ œ
tree
want
to plant a tree
∑
œ œ ˙
∑
œ.
Œ œ
Ó
œ œ œ #œ J
P Œ œ ˙
Œ œ #œ 3
P Œ œ ˙
œ ˙.
3
is
not
the one that was plant - ed
Œ œ
œ.
œ ˙.
is
not
Œ œ
that bears the fruit
∑
&
I would
∑
that bears the fruit
˙
the
A2
of the world
œ œ œ #œ ˙
what for
not the
Œ œ œ 3
what for
Œ œ
fruit
q »¶§
On the last day
& 44
S2
3. Place
p (the first two phrases may be sung by a soloist) Œ œ œ œ ˙ œ #œ ˙ Œ œ œ ˙
Flexible and expansive
S1
9
is
œ.
not
3 j œ œ œ œ
the one that was plant - ed
j œ œ œ œ 3
œ ˙.
the one that was plant - ed
∑
∑
∑
U
Ó
U
Ó
U
Ó
U
Ó
not the
F ‰ œj œ œ F ‰ œj œ œ
I want the
I want the
F ‰ j œ œ œ F ‰ j œ œ œ
I want the
I want the
107
S1
&
œ. tree
S2
& œ.
tree
A1
& œ.
tree
A2
&
œ.
tree
œ J
Pno.
œ #œ
3
that stands in
j œ œ j œ œ
œ œ œ œ
the
3
œ #œ
that stands in
P sempre # ˙˙ .. ? œ ˙. œ °
the
3
that stands in
j œ œ
the
3
that stands in
107
&
œ
the
˙
Œ
earth
Œ
earth
˙.
Ó
Œ
œ œ
œ
˙.
Ó
Œ
for the first time
Œ
˙
earth
œ œ
œ
˙.
Ó
Œ
for the first time
Œ
˙
earth
œ œ °
œ
for the first time
˙
∑
œ œ
œ œ
œ
˙.
˙˙ .. ˙.
Ó
simile
with the
sun
al - read - y
œ œ
˙
œ œ œ
with the
sun
al - read - y
œ œ
Œ
œ œ
with the
∑
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
œ œ #œ
with the
for the first time
∑
˙
œ œ
œ œ
˙˙ .. ˙.
∑
3
˙
sun
3
3
œ œ œ
al - read - y 3
˙
sun
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
œ œ #œ
al - read - y
∑
10
j œ ‰ œ œ
& œ #œ œ
112
S1
go - ing down
S2
& œ œ œ
j œ ‰ œ œ
& œ œ œ
j œ ‰ œ œ
& œ œ œ
j‰ œ œ œ
112
∑
go - ing down
A1
go - ing down
A2
go - ing down
Pno.
& ?
117
S1
&
œ œ
˙
˙˙ .. ˙.
& Ó
Œ œ œ 3
and the 117
Pno.
& ?
# ˙˙ .. ˙ œ . œ
touch - ing its
j œ œ.
wa - ter
j œ œ.
and the
pass - ing
wa - ter
wa - ter
and the
œ œ #œ
œ œ #œ
j œ œ.
and the
3
clouds
S2
and the
œ œ. J
wa - ter
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
3
œ œ œ
roots
3
touch - ing its
touch - ing its
œ œ #œ
touch - ing its
˙
Œ œ œ ˙
˙
Œ œ œ ˙
˙
roots
∑ œ œ
œ #œ œ œ œ œ 3
˙
3
3
one by
˙
one
and the
œ œ #œ 3
clouds
∑ œ œ
pass - ing
˙˙ .. ˙.
clouds
œ #œ œ ˙ 3
one by
∑ œ œ
pass - ing
˙
Ó
œ œ œ 3
full of the dead
∑ œ œ
3
3
one by one o - ver its
˙
œ œ œ 3
one
# ˙˙ .. ˙.
o - ver its
œ œ
Ó
˙
œ œ #œ
œ #œ œ œ œ œ
∑
and the
full of the dead
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
œ œ #œ
3
and the
full of the dead
in the earth
˙˙ .. ˙.
˙
3
œ œ ˙
∑
œ œ œ
P Œ œ œ
full of the dead
in the earth
Œ
P Œ œ œ
˙
3
in the earth
roots
3
œ œ #œ
in the earth
roots
3
œ œ œ
Œ œ œ ˙
˙
˙˙ .. ˙.
∑
∑
˙˙ .. ˙.
w leaves
w
leaves
∑
# ˙˙ .. ˙ œ . œ
11
& Ó
122
Pno.
?
œ œ
˙˙ .. ˙.
˙ & ˙
# ˙˙ .. ? œ ˙. œ
˙ & ˙
132
Pno.
?
œ œ
3
œ œ #œ œ œ #œ 3
127
Pno.
œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙˙ .. ˙.
œ œ. ˙ œJ œ . ˙ # ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
j œ œ. œ œ. œ œ
√ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3
˙˙ .. ˙.
œ œ. ˙ œJ œ . ˙ # ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
œ œ
œ œ
˙. ˙.
˙˙ .. ˙.
œ œ ˙ ˙
œ œ
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
˙ ˙ œ œ
˙˙ .. ˙.
¤ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3
˙ ˙
œ œ
œ #œ œ #œ
# ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ œ œ #œ œ œ #œ 3
œ œ
œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ 3
œ œ
œ œ. ˙ œJ œ . ˙ # ˙˙ .. œ ˙. œ
˙. ˙.
˙˙ .. ˙.
˙ ˙ œ œ
3
˙˙ .. ˙.
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