SIRENS
SONG CYCLE FOR TWO SOPRANOS, MEZZO SOPRANO AND PRE-RECORDED TRACK
By Juhi Bansal, texts adapted from James Russell Lowell
Contact information: Email: juhibansalcomposer@gmail.com Website: www.juhibansal.com
Notes on performance:
This piece will be performed with microphones, and as such vocal projection is less of an issue than expressiveness. This is an extremely theatrical setting, and uses unpitched and semi-pitched whispers and speech, vocal effects to emulate shouting, hissing and bird cries, as well as traditional bel canto singing. The two main characters in the piece are sweet and vicious, to convey the dual nature of the sirens.
Some specific notations are clarified below: 1) Semi-pitched whispers/ speech: These are shown on a single-line staff. The effect should be theatrical in the extreme, exploiting a variety of vocal timbres to convey the text and story. All pitches shown on the single-line staff are relative, and do NOT refer to specific pitches. There should be no attempt to match pitch between the three voices in these sections.
2) Glissandi: Downward glissandi are used as a motivic element in this piece. These should be slow and exaggerated, bringing out the slide itself in priority over the beginning and ending notes. 3) Bird cries: Where indicated (with a triangle notehead), these may begin on any high note.
Cues: The score includes cues throughout to help sync and perform with the pre-recorded music. These show specific passages that are of use either to sync in time, or to find pitches. Timing indications in minutes and seconds are also included throughout the score (under the cue part) to facilitate practice.
Sirens I - Introduction q = 85 (piano)
Cues (from audio track)
Soprano 1
Soprano 2
Mezzo-soprano
6
6
Cues
(13 secs)
Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful S1 (semi-pitched whispers) S1.
Come clos - er
sail - or,
pp
3
3
Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful S2 (semi-pitched whispers) S2.
Come clos - er
sail - or,
pp
3
3
Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful A. (semi-pitched whispers)
MS.
Come clos - er
sail - or,
pp
3
3
3
come
clo - ser,
clos - er
3
3
come
clo - ser,
clos - er
3
3
come
clo - ser,
clos - er
3
(hysterically gleeful) f
3
clos - er!
(hysterically gleeful) f
3
clos - er!
(hysterically gleeful) f
3
clos - er!
3
10
10
Cues
12
(25 secs)
S1.
(29 secs)
(gliss for full value) mp 3 p 3 3 3 Moor your ship and hear our song!
p
S2.
3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy
p
3
3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows
3
(gliss for full value) mp 3
3
knows
(gliss for full value) mp 3
3
Moor your ship and hear our song!
MS.
Moor your ship and hear our song!
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows
14
Cues
3 3 mf
S1.
3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy
knows
mf
3
3 3 mf
MS.
knows
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy
S2.
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows
3
f
3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy 3 f 3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy 3 f
3
This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy
4
18
17
Cues
S1.
Harsh Spoken
3
3
for an - y - one who heard it is
knows
ff
piano
(giggle audibly to each other)
(giggle audibly to each other)
(giggle audibly to each other)
dead.
Harsh
S2.
Spoken
for an - y - one who heard it is
knows
MS.
Harsh Spoken
ff
3
3
for an - y - one who heard it is
knows
dead.
3
3
ff
dead.
21
Cues
22
S1.
Sung, sweetly
S2.
Sung, sweetly
MS.
(58 secs)
Sung, sweetly
p
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
3
The sea is lone ly and p
drear - y.
The sea is lone ly and
drear - y.
3
p
3 3 3
The sea is lone ly and
drear - y.
3
The sea is rest - less, un 3
The sea is rest - less, un 3 3 3
The sea is rest - less, un -
26
25
Cues
S1.
ea
S2.
MS.
-
-
ea
-
3
You seek quiet qui - et (growing agitated) p
qui - et
3
qui - et
qui - et
3
You seek quiet
p (growing agitated) 3
mf
3
3
sy
p (growing agitated)
sy
ea
(1:15 secs)
mf
3
Innocent p
3 3 3
You seek quiet
sy
5
28(bell)
Our isle is gre - en and
29
33
29
Cues
S.(speak.)
Pitched speaking, taunting, hissing ff
Pitched speaking, taunting, hissing
ff
come
MS.
(1:29secs)
come rest!
S.(speak.)
Bell + piano
bree -zy,
(hiss)
come rest!
rest!
come rest!
come rest! come ressssssssss-t!
come
taunting, hissing ff
rest!
come rest!
come
(hiss)
resssssstsss t!
(hissing)
comeressssssssssst!
sung, sweetly mp 3
Fo llow our voi ces
sung, sweetly mp 3
Fo llow our voi ces
sweetly mp 3
Fo llow our voi ces
6
36
34
Cues
S1.
3 3 3
to the shore
to
be
at
rest
ev -
er more
ev -
3
3
to the shore
to
be
at
rest
for
3
3
MS.
for
3
3
S2.
to the shore
to
be
at
ev -
3
er more
ev 3
for
rest
er more
ev -
er
er more
38 (piano)
38
Cues
S1.
3
3
3
-
er more
ev -
er
ev -
(tacet till end of track)
- er
more
(tacet till end of track)
3
for
more
ev
3
(tacet till end of track)
3
more
MS.
(1:43 secs)
ev
S2.
(violin)
er
more
Sirens II - Seduction N.B. Parts of the acoustic piano accompaniment recorded on this track are extremely free, and the tempo does fluctuate. Additional audible cues in the recording (those indicated below) help set and maintain the steady pulse of quarter note = 110. All cues indicated below are in the piano, unless otherwise marked. q = 110 Acoustic piano
Cues
3
3
fff
(synthesized piano)
p (N.B. This repeated note in synth piano comes back throughout the track. This is setting and reaffirming the tempo each time it occurs.)
Soprano 1.
NOT in strict time
q = 110
Soprano 2.
Mezzo soprano
5 2
4
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
(bell)
5
p
Look,
look,
Look,
10
Cues
S. Solo
12
3
fff 12
Look,
p
look,
look,
pp
ff (cut off right on piano chord)
ff (cut off right on piano chord)
look,
MS. Solo
look,
ff (cut off right on piano chord)
look,
NOT in strict time
Look,
S. Solo
look,
p
Look,
look,
(10 secs)
Look,
MS. Solo
14
Cues
fff
pp
(39 secs) (IN TIME)
S. Solo
(synthesized piano)
3
p
Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p 3
S. Solo
Look how the gray old
MS. Solo
20 17
Cues
(synth gliss)
(48 secs)
S. Solo
3
3
o - cean
from the depth of his heart
re - joi
20
- ces
S. Solo
MS. Solo
4
(metallic shaking effect unpitched)
21
Cues
S. Solo
Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p S. Solo
3
3 3 3
Heave - ing with gen - tle
MS. Solo
mo - tion,
when he
hears
our rest - ful
voi - ces;
25
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
MS. Solo
pp
27
NOT in strict time
27
Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p 3
List how he sings in an un - der - tone,
chi - ming with our
32 30
Cues
Piano
35
(1:13)
S. Solo
p
chi - ming with our me - lo - dy
S. Solo
p
chi - ming with our me - lo - dy
MS. Solo
35 mp
32
5
and all sweet sounds of
mp
and all sweet sounds of
me - lo - dy
36
Cues
S. Solo
(synthesized piano)
p
earth and air.
S. Solo
MS. Solo
38 mp
3 3
all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voi - ce a -
earth and air
38
mp
3 3
all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voi - ce a -
mp
3
all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voice
NOT in strict time
6 41
Cues
S. Solo
42
3
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
MS. Solo
(hum) (long, slow gliss) f
(hum) 3
3
voi - ce
a - lone
a - lone
3
3
(long, slow gliss) f
voi - ce
45
sfffz
Piano
(breathy, whisper-like) pp
44
lone
MS. Solo
44
(1:36 secs)
lone
S. Solo
42
n
(fade out by low B hit in piano)
n
(fade out by low B hit in piano)
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
MS. Solo
49
(synthesized piano)
50
7
(synth gliss)
(1:53 secs)
p
50
pp
voi - ces a - lone
voi - ces a -
3
(whisper, echo) pp 3
voi - ces a -
That mur - murs ov - er the wea - ry
3
3
voi - ces a - lone
(Half sung, speech-like) mp 3
(whisper, echo) pp
sea
and seems
3
to sing
from
57 NOT in strict time
53
Cues
S. Solo
lone
3
MS. Solo
lone
S. Solo
Piano
eve - ry where
pp
p
3
voi - ces a - lone pp 3
voi - ces a - lone
57
mf
Here may you har - bour
8 58
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
f
peace - ful - ly
Piano fff
(off with piano Db chord)
er more
(off with piano Db chord)
3
for - ev -
3 for - ev -
MS. Solo
f
(2:21)
60
60
er more
64
Cues
S. Solo
65
(toy piano)
65
f
3
for - ev - er more
S. Solo
for - ev - er more
3
f
for
MS. Solo
3
f
ev - er more
3
f
for
ev - er more
9 70
Cues
S. Solo
3
f
for
S. Solo
3
f
for
MS. Solo
3
for
mp
3
for
ev - er more
ev - er more
f
ev -
er more
3
ev - er more
for
ev -
er more
76
Cues
S. Solo
p
for
S. Solo
MS. Solo
3
(long, slow glissando)
n tacet till end of track
ev - er more
tacet till end of track
tacet till end of track
Sirens III - Transition Fast h. = 86 , in 1
Cues
(Hawk scream sound effect)
ff
Soprano 2.
Mezzo soprano
7
Cues.
S1. Solo
n
Fast h. = 86 , in 1
Soprano 1.
acoustic piano
MIDI Piano:
ff
7
11
Harp gliss.
7
(8 secs)
11
S2. Solo
M. Solo
2
15
13
Cues.
S2. Solo
M. Solo
S1. Solo
Cues.
19
S2. Solo
15
23
19
Growing agitated f
the
23
f
planks
Be - neath the Growing agitated
Be - neath
M. Solo
19
(13 secs)
S1. Solo
planks
oh,
can't
you
oh,
can't
you
26 25
Cues.
Harp + Flute
26
(18 secs)
S1. Solo
3
see?
S2. Solo
the
the
see?
M. Solo
sli
sli
hum, slide fluidly through each note mf
-
-
ding
of
ding
of
the
the
mmm
31
Cues.
31
Harp + Flute
36
(23 secs)
31 S1. Solo
36
waves?
S2. Solo
and
waves?
M. Solo
Saccharin sweet mp
mmm
mmm
beck - o - ning,
Saccharin sweet mp
and
beck - o - ning,
4 37
Cues.
41
Harp
gliss .
glis s
41 S1. Solo
and
S2. Solo
beck - o - ning
and
Growing agitated f
a
beck - o - ning
semi-pitched whisper, agitated mp
a
Come!
cold
Growing agitated f
cold
Come!
45
42
Cues.
S1. Solo
S2. Solo
mf
Come!
Come!
and
lone
and
lone
Come!
45 -
ly
-
ly
mf
Come!
Come!
grave
grave
.
Cues.
Harp
49
48
Piano
5
53
(34 secs)
S1. Solo
S2. Solo
49
53
Come!
54
Cues.
Piano
Sweetly p
S1. Solo
Come, p Sweetly
S2. Solo
57
Come,
M-S.
57
Harp
stay
u - pon
our
stay
u - pon
shore
our
shore
6
Cues.
S1. Solo
S2. Solo
M-S.
mmm
65 wa
-
wa
-
ters
go
ters
go
u - pon
the
p
u - pon
the
69
(Acoustic piano moves gradually out of time) follow Harp and keep steady pulse regardless.
M-S.
n
p
Harp
S2. Solo
65
(slow gliss)
(44 secs)
hum, slide fluidly through each note p (slow gliss)
(slow gliss)
61
65
S1. Solo
Cues.
61
60
(NOT in strict time)
no
69
(slow gliss)
more
(slow gliss)
no
more
simile p
mmm
71
73
Harp
Cues.
M-S.
n
(53 secs)
73
keep
you
safe
We'll
keep
you
safe
mp
mp
n
S1. Solo
-
for
ev
-
er -
-
ev
-
er -
(NOT in strict time)
80
more
-
M-S.
-
S2. Solo
piano
Piano
for
80
76
Cues.
We'll
S2. Solo
(NOT in strict time)
Piano
S1. Solo
7
piano
more
simile p
mmm
82
8
Cues.
(NOT in strict time)
Piano
S1. Solo
hum, slide fluidly through each note pp
mmm
S2. Solo
hum, slide fluidly through each note pp
mmm
M-S.
89 (Hawk scream sound effect)
88
Cues.
S1. Solo
92
ff (1:02 secs)
89
92
pp
mmm
S2. Solo
ppp
M-S.
mmm
pp
mmm
9 94
Cues.
S1. Solo
S2. Solo
M-S.
99
Cues.
S1. Solo
S2. Solo
M-S.
n
n
107 10
Piano, violin, cello
105
Cues.
3
3
(1:15 secs)
S2. Solo
M-S.
S1. Solo
(NOT in strict time)
107
(NOT in strict time)
111
Cues.
3
3
This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n
S1. Solo
mmmm
This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n
S2. Solo
mmmm
M-S.
mmmm
(slow, deliberate gliss)
(slow, deliberate gliss)
This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n
(slow, deliberate gliss)
11 117
Cues.
S1. Solo
ff
n
n
ff
S2. Solo
ff
M-S.
n
tacet till end of track
tacet till end of track
tacet till end of track
Sirens IV - Hysteria (distorted pickup + hawk scream)
Cues
Soprano 1.
Soprano 2.
Mezzo soprano
Cues.
S1. Solo
6
(Strings)
(distorted pickup + hawk scream)
f
(unpitched rumble)
Look
6
(10 secs)
6
down and see those shape - less forms, which ev - er keep their dream - less sleep far repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p
S2. Solo
shape less forms
repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p
MS. Solo
dream less sleep
2
12 10
Cues.
jangling bells
14
(these specfic pitches may not be easy to hear as they remain in the background)
(21 secs)
(26 secs)
12
14
(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)
S1. Solo
sfz
sfz
f
down wi- thin their gloom- y deep.
Snort - ing through the
(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)
sfz S2. Solo
sfz
sfz
sfz
(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)
sfz MS. Solo
sfz
Cues.
S1. Solo
3
18
15
(34 secs)
3
18
f
an - gry spray, your ship caught in their whirl of play, Look down!
S2. Solo
Look
f
Look down!
MS. Solo
f
Lookdown! Look down!
20
Harp
Cues.
S1. Solo
(43 secs)
f
f
repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p
Look down!
MS. Solo
Harp
(low noise glissando)
down!
S2. Solo
mf
U -
look down down down
Look down! Look down!
mf
U -
4
24
24
26
Cues.
S1. Solo
(harp)
24
pon
the sea - weed, slim - y, dark
(51 secs)
26 sfz 3
(51 secs)
3
sfz
dark
Bell
3 sfz
sfz n (fall off)
dark
dark
dark
sfz
sfz
sfz n (fall off)
pp S2. Solo
MS. Solo
28pon 28
Cues.
S1. Solo
(55 secs)
the sea - weed, slim - y, dark
Harp
slim - y dark sfz
28
3
dark
dark
dark
(1:03 sec)
32 sfz sfz 3 mf 3 lank and brown
brown
sfz
dark
that waves
MS. Solo
3
32
that waves its arms so
S2. Solo
3
mf
that waves its arms so
lank and brown
brown
sfz
3
brown
3
brown
34
3
(Bird cries, as before) sfz
brown
Hawk scream
Hawk scream
(1:16 secs)
38
3
beck - o - ning
3
beck - o - ning
beck - o - ning
3
mp
3
beck - o - ning
beck - o - ning
Look
beck - o - ning
beck - o - ning
3
Look down!
3
beck - o - ning
mp
ff
3
MS. Solo
(Bird cries, as before) sfz
mp
S2. Solo
38 38
S1. Solo
sfz n (fall off)
brown
Harp continues in background till end of vocal part
sfz (Bird cries, as before)
n
sfz
Cues.
brown
3
34
brown
MS. Solo
3
(1:08 sec)
sfz n 3 (fall off)
S2. Solo
3
sfz
S1. Solo
3
Cues.
5
Harp
33
3
3
beck - o - ning
ff
3
beck - o - ning
42
6 42
Cues.
S1. Solo
42
down!
Look
down!
Look down!
Look
Look down!
(repeat frequently but randomly, beginning gesture on different pitches and different beats.) ff S2. Solo
(breathe as necessary)
3
MS. Solo
3
3
3
3
48
46
S1. Solo
MS. Solo
down!
S2. Solo
3
beck-o-ning beck-o -ning beck-o-ning beck-o ningbeck-o- ning beck-o-ningbeck-o- ning beck-o-ning
Cues.
3
3
Look
48
n
down!
n
3
(tacet till end of track)
beck - o - ning beck - o - ning
3
3
n
beck - o - ning beck - o - ning
(tacet till end of track)
(tacet till end of track)
Sirens V - Echoes 4 h =60
Cues
h =60
Celesta
(semi-pitched drum)
4
Soprano 2.
Mezzo soprano
Soprano 1.
8
7
Cues
8 S. Solo
humming throughout p
humming throughout S. Solo
ppp
humming throughout
MS. Solo
ppp
14
2 13
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
MS. Solo
Celesta
(26 secs)
16
16
14
pp
pp
pp
19
S. Solo
MS. Solo
Cues
S. Solo
26 25
Cues
S. Solo
S. Solo
MS. Solo
Celesta
(50 secs)
3
26
p
31
Cues
S. Solo
p
ppp
S. Solo
MS. Solo
tacet till end of track
n
tacet till end of track
tacet till end of track