THE LOST COUNTRY OF SIGHT Song Cycle for Female Voice, Cello, Piano and Percussion
Text by Neil Aitken, Music by Juhi Bansal
Duration – 12 minutes
Contact information: Email: juhibansalcomposer@gmail.com Website: www.juhibansal.com
Notes on performance for all movements: All 8th note grace notes are to be played on the beat; all 16th note grace notes are to be played before the beat. All instruments should always make sure that the voice can be heard clearly. Play on the softer side of your dynamics as necessary. Notes with brackets around them (usually at the start or end of a glissando) are meant to be moved through. i.e. rather than making that note clearly articulated, glide through it, giving the full duration of the rhythm to the glissando. Voice: Do not use a lot of vibrato. Use a lyrical quality, with a variety of timbres and gestures (such as chest tone, portamento, scooping into notes, etc.) A natural, expressive quality is much preferred over a consistently beautiful tone. Instruments Required: Piano: You will need a small glass or plastic bottle with a narrow mouth for the second movement. Percussion: Medium Suspended Cymbal (For the second movement - 'Halfway' - you will need to attach a small paperclip or coin to the cymbal, to create a delicate sizzle effect. This can be removed quietly immediately after the movement is complete.) Small Suspended triangle Medium tom-tom Low tom-tom (Dampen the drums as neccesary for balance.) 3 Japanese Temple Bowls (high, medium, low pitched) Mallets (for use on all instruments) : triangle beater 1 wire brush 2 medium yarn mallets (for toms and cymbal) 2 soft mallets (for sizzle cymbal) 2 timbale sticks When drums, cymbals, or triangle are called for, the notation will be as follows: Using the back of the mallet or stick is indicated by an x on the note stem:
On suspended cymbal and drums, a scrape will be indicated by . A circular scrape means to run the brush or beater in circles around the surface of the cymbal or drum for the full duration of the written note, creating a continuous sound.
Kite Flying Late summer, when the winds blew hard, I would blend into the sand, while my father stood at the edge of the beach. Watching the kite rise against dark pines, the line which tethered it to his hands, became invisible in the half-light of dusk. How it pulled heavenward, falling then rising again, always beyond reach. And he would stand gesturing, as if calling a stray dog home. A secret spell, something only he knew to wake the creature in the sky. And when winds struck, it could seem as if the whole kite would burst with longing to leave the earth. What an old song this is—what flies above our heads like a banner, a wish for the one who never comes home.
I. Kite Flying
Ethereally Freely 3:2
3
3
3
3
3
Voice Late
sum - mer when the
winds blew hard,
I would
blend
in - to
the
sand,
while my
fa - ther stood
at
the edge
of
the beach.
Violoncello Follow the voice
3
3
3
3
Piano
5:4
3
Follow the voice (Small triangle, with triangle beater throughout)
(sus. cymb.) wire brush
5:4
triangle beater
wire brush
Percussion 5:4
N
3
5
3
3
3
3
3:2
Voice Watch - ing the
kite
rise
a - gainst dark pines,
the
line which teth - ered
it
to his hands,
be - came
in - vi si-ble in the half light of
dusk.
Vc.
3:2
3
Pno. 3:2
5:4
3
5
wire brush, on med. tom-tom circular scrape wire brush
triangle beater
wire brush
Perc. 5:4
In time
Blend with instruments
4
11
3
3
Voice Da da da da da
da
etc.
da 3
3
3
3
5:4
Vc.
slow - fast
3
5:4
5:4
3
3
3
Pno. slow - fast
11
To Drums (with timbale sticks)
Perc.
17
3
Voice 5:4
3
3
5:4
5:4
3
3
3
3
3
Vc.
5:4
slow - fast
5:4
3
5:4
slow - fast
5:4
5:4
Pno. 3
17
Perc.
3
5:4
6:4
To the foreground
5 21
3
3
ris - ing
then fall - ing a - gain,
3
3
Voice da (
da )
da )(
(
How
da )
(
it
pulled heav - en
-
ward pizz. con vibrato
)
simile 3
3
Vc.
3
6:4
)
(
3
3
Pno.
3
3
3
3
3
una corda
21
3
Drums (with timbale sticks)
3
Perc.
25
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Voice al - ways
be-yond reach.
And he would stand ges - tu -ring,
as if
call - ing
a stray
dog
home.
pizz. arco
3
3
3
3
Vc.
3
3
3 3
3
3
Pno.
3
3
25
Perc.
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3
6 30
subito
3
Voice 3
A
sec - ret
spell,
3
some - thing
on - ly
arco
he
knew,
to
3
wake
the
crea - ture in
the
sul tasto
3
Vc. subito 6:4
3
3
3
subito
Pno.
3
3
3
tre corde
3
30
Perc.
rim shot
rim shot
3
To Japanese Temple Bowls
3
Gently 36
3
3
Voice sky.
And
when
winds
struck,
it
could
seem
as
if
the whole
kite would flautando, sul pont.
burst
with
Vc.
Gently
Pno.
3
Perc.
Japanese temple bowls Gently
5:4
5:4
3
Improvise in this fashion 36
3
3
7 40
3
3
Voice long - ing
to
leave
the earth. ord.
3
3
3
3
Vc.
3:2
slow - fast
3:2
3
3:2
3
3
5:4
3:2
Pno.
40
3:2
5:4
5:4
5:4
5:4
(Improvise)
Perc.
3:2
wire brush
To Cymbal and Triangle (with wire brush and triangle beater)
3
45
3
Voice What an flautando, sul pont.
old
song
this
ord. 5:4
3
3
(
)
Vc.
5:4
3
3:2
Pno.
3
3 45
Perc.
triangle beater
wire brush
3
is
8
Freely
51
3
3
3
3
3
Voice what flies a - bove
our
heads like a ban -ner,
a
wish for the one who (
(
)
ne - ver comes (
home.
)
(
)
3
3
Follow the voice
)
Vc.
Follow the voice
3
5:4
3
3
Pno.
wire brush circular scrape
51
Perc. N
57
Voice
Sul D (
Vc.
)
(
)
3
N 3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno. 3
57
Perc. wire brush
3
II. Halfway Notes to performers: IMPROVISATION: The notation indicates an improvised section, where piano, cello and percussion all create effects that sound like wind or rustling leaves. The conglomerate effect should be incredibly atmospheric, without too much focus on pitch. Cello: Some suggestions for improvisation include whistling, creating wind sounds with your voice, playing col legno tratto and extremely sul pont. Try to avoid clearly articulating any pitches. Make sure to use your voice in addition to the cello. The overall dynamic of these sections should be soft, although momentary crescendi to louder dynamics are desirable. At places such as mm 1, where you are asked to improvise as well as given a specific figure to play, improvise with your voice while playing the given figure, and then incorporate the cello into the wind effects once the figure is complete. Percussion: Suggestions for improvisation include playing hairpin dynamics, sustained rolls, or scrapes on the sizzle cymbal (with beaters or fingers), whistling, making wind sounds with your voice, etc. Use a variety of effects and timbres, making sure to include your voice as well as instruments. The overall dynamic should always be soft (although momentary crescendi to louder dynamics are desirable.) Piano: You will need a small glass or plastic bottle with a narrow mouth for the improvised sections. Blow into the bottle's mouth at an angle, at random, to create a sound like blowing wind. The bottle might occasionally produce an actual pitch, which is acceptable. When you are given a figure in box notation, such as including specific rhythms and pitches, improvise on these figures (while continuing the 'bottle' texture. (You will have to play with one hand, and hold the bottle with the other.) Keep the sparse, delicate overall texture even while playing on the keys. DO NOT let the pitches become too intrusive or prominent. ADDITIONAL NOTES: Percussion: Attach a paper clip or coin to the cymbal only for this movement, to create a delicate sizzle effect. Cello: The starting pitches of the "seagull" effect are not to be taken too literally. More important than the actual pitches is simply to start high enough on the A string, so as to get as many different harmonic partials as possible.
Halfway It has been hours now. The sun long swallowed in a growing bank of grey. Your body turned machine. The noiseless circle of arms and feet and their thousand-fold revolutions. How long have you pushed on, parting the cold waves, anticipating that last stroke forward, the one that ends in the earth, a foot in the weeds, or a voice calling you free? How long till the water holds you fast and claims you her own? And what now, what to do with the night sky so full of nameless want and need?
II. Halfway
3:2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3:2
Voice It has been
(Seagull effect)
hours
now.
It has been
hours
now.
The
sun
long
swa llowed in
a
gro -wing bank of
grey.
Cello
"wind"
"wind"
Piano
(Like a bell blown occasionally by the wind)
3:2
Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)
Percussion
"wind"
To Tom-Tom
12 9
3:2
3
3:2
3
3
3:2
3
has been hours.
Your
Voice It
has been hours
now
hours
now.
It
has been hours
sul pont.
ord. 3
now.
It
sul pont.
ord.
3
3
3:2
3
Vlc. N ("wind")
("wind") 3
3 3:2
Pno.
3
9
Low Tom-Tom (medium yarn beaters)
Perc.
("wind")
3:2
16
3
3
3:2
3:2
3
3:2
3:2
3:2
cresc.
13
Voice bo-dy turned ma - chine.
It has
been
hours has been hours.
hours.
The noise - less
sul pont.
ord. 3
cir - cles of arms and
ord
3
Vlc. 3:2
3
3:2
3
3:2
Pno.
cresc.
3:2
cresc.
3:2 3:2
16
3:2
To Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)
Perc.
23
3
3
3:2
Voice feet
and
their thou - sand - fold
re - vo
-
lu - tions.
Vlc. 3:2
3:2
3:2
Pno.
3:2 3:2
3:2 23
Perc.
14 27
3:2
3
Voice It
has
been
hours
now.
Long,
Vlc.
"wind"
Pno.
3:2
3:2
3:2
"wind"
3:2
Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets) 27
Perc.
"wind"
grey
15 34
3:2
3:2
3:2
Voice hours.
It
(Seagull effect) 3:2
Vlc.
("wind")
Pno.
34
To Tom-Tom
Perc.
("wind")
been
sul pont.
ord.
("wind")
has
Low Tom-Tom (medium yarn beaters)
hours
now. ord.
16 41
3
Voice
sul pont. 3
ord
3
Vlc. cresc.
Pno.
cresc.
subito
41
Perc.
46
3:2
3:2
subito
3
3
Voice How long
have you pushed
on,
par - ting the cold
waves
sul pont
Vlc. 3:2
subito
3
subito
R.H.
Pno.
3
46
Perc.
an - ti - ci
-
pa - ting
that
17 50
3:2
3
3:2
3
3
3
3
3
3:2
Voice last
stroke
forward,
the
one
that ends
in
earth,
a
foot in the weeds,
or
a
voice
call
-
ing
you free?
Vlc.
4:3
cresc.
Pno.
3
3:2 50
Perc.
54
3:2
Voice 3:2
How
long
till
the wa
-
ter
holds
you
3:2
fast
fast
3:2
and
claims
you
her
ord
Vlc. 3:2
3:2 3:2
3:2
Pno.
3:2 54
Perc.
3:2
18
57
Voice own? (Seagull effect)
Vlc.
3:2
3
3:2
Pno.
3:2
3
3 3:2
3 3:2
3
3
3:2
57
Perc.
To Sizzle Cymbal
Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)
19 3:2
61
3:2
Voice 3:2
And what
now,
what
to do
with the
night sky sul pont
Vlc.
"wind"
3:2
Pno.
61
Perc.
"wind"
so
20 67
ca 10 sec
3:2
3:2
Voice full
of
name
-
less
want
and
need? ca 10 sec
Vlc.
("wind")
Pno.
ca 10 sec
"wind"
67
ca 10 sec
Perc.
("wind")
III. Credo
This movement is for unaccompanied voice, and is meant to be extremely improvisatory. The notation consists of unstemmed noteheads and grace notes, without specified rhythms or durations. Use natural speech rhythms to dictate the rhythms and pacing of each phrase, which is demarked by a breath mark. The effect should be that of musically reciting a simple melodic line with ornamentation. Two signs are used to show the relative stress upon a note and . The first marking indicates a sort of pickup gesture - i.e. notes marked with the sign are leading towards a note that has emphasis, but have none themselves. Notes marked with the sign are stressed in the manner of downbeats. . , , and are used to indicate microtonal inflections of a pitch. E.g. preceding an 'F' means to sing an F#, but one that is slightly 'sharper' than usual. The actual size of each microtone is not important - use your musical sense to decide how much to bend the tone. The overall effect is intended to be similar to sung arabic recitations of religious texts. Do not be afraid to bend the pitches slightly, inflect or ornament them in different ways. Use a variety of vocal tones and colours, natural devices such as scooping into notes, etc, to create a lyrical, expressive effect, without being tied down to western classical conventions.
Credo Not so much the world, but what it signifies: last year's rain still sleeping in the deepest wells, or cherry trees arched over stone walls. Yearning. The earth bent around a weathered pine. Old stoves tipped and sleeping, iron rusting into green. Forgetting. God is always in the places I cannot reach, be He blackbird or raven. Even the geese guillotining the sky mean something to the girl laid down in weeds. Someone is speaking in darkness, a voice like sorrow, something like tin, the sun, even in sin, even then, I believe. All night, our prayers rise like dust. Our voices reach like seed for rain.
Credo
Freely, with an exotic elegance
Voice Not
so
rain
arched
ning.
much
the
still
o
-
world,
sleep
-
-
-
The
earth
ing
ver
but
in
what
the
deep
stone
bent
a
it
sig
-
walls.
-
round
a
est
-
ni
-
wells,
Yearn
fies:
or
-
wea - thered
last
cher
-
-
pine.
year's
-
ry
-
trees
-
-
Old
24
stoves
tipped
and
sleep
ing,
get
ting.
i
-
ron
rust - ing
God
is
in
al
-
-
to
green.
ways
in
For
the
pla
( ces
I
can
en
the
geese
laid
down
-
not
reach,
guil
in
-
lo
be
-
tin
-
weeds.
He
black
ing
the
Some
-
-
bird
sky
mean
one
is
or
ra
-
ven.
speak
-
-
) Ev
some - thing
to
-
ing
-
-
-
the
girl
in
dark
-
-
25
ness,
a voice
( sin,
like
sor
-
row,
some - thing
like
tin,
the
sun,
ev
-
en
in
night,
our
) ev
-
en
then,
I
be - lieve.
(Hum)
All
attacca
pra
-
-
-
yers
rise
like
dust.
Our
voi
-
ces
reach
like
seed
for
rain.
IV. I Dream My Father On The Shore
Notes: This movement begins with an unmetered, free section for cello and percussion. The cellist will give a cue to the ensemble where indicated in the score - this is labeled as measure 1 of the music. Cello - Opening section: This section is a cello solo, supported by percussion in the background. Play expressively, using rubato and stretching time as needed. The figures separated by breath marks indicate musical gestures that are to be played together. The rests separating these gestures have no specific value - (even though written as quarter notes). Instead, treat them as pauses between each phrase. Listen to the percussion and use your musical sense to decide how long or short the pause before the next gesture should be. Where marked in the score, give a clear cue to the ensemble (specifically to percussion) showing where metered time begins.
I Dream My Father On The Shore Outside, beneath the light of late October's candled sky the weave of ash and maple burns. We stand silent on the graveled shore. My father lifts his father’s ashes from its urn, a strangely heavy thing, he seems to say, arms swaying. Casting out into the long dark as if to throw a line - we wait for some sound, a wave, whatever marks the distance between a father and a son. And when night comes, it comes without a tread, without a word. The stars flicker in their endless retreat, more distant than before. The harvest is long past, the apples have fallen to the orchard floors. Even my father turning to go is almost lost to the reeds, his figure no more than a pattern of light—a memory of a road that winds through the darkness to our waiting ride home.
IV. I Dream My Father On The Shore
Freely,
sul pont. slow fast
slow
ord. solo With complete freedom
fast
slow
fast
3:2
3
Cello subito Japanese Temple Bowls Improvise in this fashion
Percussion
etc.
(keep trilling fingers while sliding) slow
fast
1
(
In time Give cue to Percussion
)
Vlc.
( 3
3
slow
fast
3
)
(
3
slow
fast
Pno.
In time
Triangle
(Improvise)
Perc. N
slow
)
29 5
Voice With intensity, always allowing the voice to be clearly heard.
3
Vlc. (
)
3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno.
3
5
3
To Drums and Cymbal (with medium yarn mallets)
Perc. N
9
4:3
4:3
Voice Out (ord.)
-
side,
be
-
neath
the
light
of
late
4:3
Oc - to - ber's
can
4:3
-
dled
( )
sky
the
sul pont.
Vlc.
3
Pno.
9
Perc.
4:3
weave
of
ash
and
30 13
4:3
4:3
Voice ma - ple
burns.
We
stand
si - lent
on
the
gra - veled - shore.
My
his
ord.
Vlc.
fa - ther lifts
subito
3
3
6:4
Pno.
subito
3
13
Perc.
17
4:3
3
Voice ash - es
from
its
urn,
a strange - ly
hea - vy
thing,
he
seems
to
say,
arms
sway - ing.
Vlc. 3
4:3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno.
17
3
On bell
Perc. 3
fa - ther's
Poco a poco rit.
31 4:3
22
Voice Cast - ing
out
in - to
the
long
dark
as
if
to
throw
a
(ord.)
Vlc. 3
4:3
3
6:4
Pno.
22
on surface
To Triangle and High Temple Bowl
Perc.
Poco meno mosso 26
Freely 3
ďƒ?
Voice line
we
wait
sul pont.
for
some
ďƒ?
sound,
we
wait
for
a
wave,
what -
flautando con sord. sul pont. (
Vlc.
3
3
Pno. (
Triangle 26
Perc.
)
)
Poco meno mosso 31
4:3
32
a tempo
4:3
Voice ev - er marks the
dis - tance
be - tween
a
fa
-
ther
and
a son. ord., sul tasto senza sord.
Vlc. 3
N
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno.
3
3
N
una corda
3
To Suspended Cymbal and Drums (medium yarn mallets)
31
Triangle
Perc. High Temple Bowl
38
3
3
Voice And
when
night
comes,
it
comes with - out
a
tread,
with - out
a
word.
The
ord. 3
Vlc. 3
3
5:4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno. 3
3
38
3
3
3
Triangle Sus. Cymbal
(sus. cymb)
Perc. (low tom)
3
(w triangle beater, back of mallet, respectively) 3
Darkly, lilting
33 42
3
3
3
3
3
3
long
past,
3
Voice stars
flick - er in their end - less
re - treat,
more
dis - tant than
be - fore.
The
ord.
har
-
vest
is
the
sul pont.
Vlc. 3 3 3
3
3
3
6:4
3
6:4
3
3
3
Pno.
3
3
3 3
Put down triangle beater, pick up second mallet
42
To Drums and Cymbal (with medium yarn mallets)
3
Perc.
45
5:4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Voice ap
-
ples have fall - en
to
the
or - chard
floors.
Ev - en
my fa - ther
turn
ning to go
is
al - most
lost
to the reeds,
3
his
6:4 3
3
3
3
3
Vlc.
3
3
3
5:4
3
3
3
3
3
3
Pno.
3
45
Perc.
On bell 3
on surface
To Triangle (Put down mallets, pick up triangle beater)
A little slower 48
3
3
34
Poignantly
a tempo
molto rit. 3
Voice fi - gure no more
than a pat - tern of light (trill even while sliding) flautando 3 sul pont.
a
mem - ory of
a
ord. 6:4
3
sul pont.
(ord.)
3
Vlc. N
3
3
6:4
3
Pno.
48
triangle beater
To Temple Bowls
Perc.
52
dim.
Voice road
that
winds
through
the
dark - ness
to
our
wait
-
-
ing
ride
home.
Vlc.
3
3
Pno.
3
dim.
52
Perc.
3
Japanese Temple Bowls
dim.
3