libretto by Nancy Welliver music by Reginald Unterseher
Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone solos SATB divisi chamber chorus Percussion 1 Marimba/Percussion 2 Flute/Piccolo Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
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PROCESSIONAL The Tempest (1610) PROLOGUE A Plutonium The Junk of the Soul (1979) Jung on Dreams (1944) J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Gita (1945) ACT 1 – Holy Land Scene 1 – The Road to Hanford Stranger than a Dream (2007) Encounter at Hanford (2006) Scene 2 – The Landscape No One Knows (2007) I Grew up in White Bluffs (2008) Scene 3 – Earthquakes Shattered (2006) Shaman (1891) ACT 2 – Working Life Scene 1 – Amazement, Anxiety, Stress I Didn’t Know They Work Here (2010) Little Boy’s Headache (2007) I Still Have Those Dreams (2008) Feeling Exposed (2001) Protecting You (1996-2001)
Scene 2 – Soul and Spirit Healing the Soul (1979) Illusions and Reality (2008) When Pigs Fly (2013) Scene 3 – War Ending the War (August 14, 1945) ACT 3 – The Sadness of Nature Scene 1 – Flowers Radioactive Roses (2006) Scene 2 – Animals Goiter (2008) Jackrabbit on a Lead Blanket (2008) Atomic Soldiers (1957) ACT 4 – Ghost Food Scene 1 – Tank Waste Putting the Genie Back in the Bottle (2008) Spoonful of Tank Waste (1996) Scene 2 – Plutonium The Spring of Paradise (2005) J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Gita (1945) (Reprise) EPILOGUE – Finding the Way Home Ashes (2017) RECESSIONAL The Tempest (1610)
Percussion: Wood Block, Triangle, Snare, Bass Drum Thunder Sheet (bass drum stick, triangle stick, superball mallet, small chain) Hi-hat (pedal), Mark Tree, Vibraslap Marimba (4.5 octave) Other: 6 Handbells, played by string and ute players Electric megaphone for Baritone soloist This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Setting Nuclear Dreams takes place at the Hanford Nuclear Site from 1895 until 2017. The oral histories included in the oratorio are mainly based on the dreams of Hanford Workers and people who lived on the land that became the Hanford Site. Some “true stories” about Hanford and nuclear weapons, as well as quotes from literature and psychology about dreams and dreaming, are also included.
Synopsis Processional and Prologue The oratorio begins with a processional based on Shakespeare’s lines from The Tempest: “We are such stuff / As dreams are made on, and our little life / Is rounded with a sleep. The Prologue begins with an introduction to the ancient temple of the Greco-Roman god Pluto, called a Plutonium. A Plutonium is a dream oracle, where dreamers sought healing. ACT 1 – Holy Land The oratorio begins on the road to Hanford. Dreamers speak of approaching Hanford by car (one in a ying car) or bicycle. Some experience earthquakes, one nds a magical guitar, one sees American Bald Eagles in dead trees “waiting us out”. Some dance while others mourn. Several “true stories” are included in this act. One person speaks of the spookiness experienced when looking at the Hanford winter landscape. Another speaks of growing up in White Bluffs. A nineteenth century Wanapum shaman talks about the importance of dreams and the link between the spirit world and the tangible world. ACT 2 – Working Life Scene 1 – Workers share dreams about the amazement, anxiety, and stress they experience at Hanford. A Hanford building becomes a scene from a Medieval fair, with co-workers in attendance. A headache becomes a nuclear bomb. Contamination, once inhaled, can’t be coughed back out again. A dreamer feels naked when dressed in radworker protective clothing. A couple of workers chat about weird, uncomfortable experiences at an old reactor building. Scene 2 – Some scientists share their perspective. Dreams are illusions. Dreams are not remembered, and if they are, they are quickly forgotten. There is important work to be done at Hanford. Why dwell on illusions? Finally, one dreamer witnesses an enthusiastic parade of the history of Hanford and is not impressed. Scene 3 –We hear a direct quote from the diary of Col. Matthias, who was manager of Hanford Works (as it was called during World War II), in which he talks about his pleasure at the role Hanford had in ending that war.
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ACT 3 – The Sadness of Nature Scene 1 – A dreamer nds roses in Mother’s garden whose roots reach far back into the radioactive contamination at Hanford. The dreamer is at rst afraid they are radioactive roses, then decides they are soul-roses and embraces them. Scene 2 – Animals seek out the dreamer at Hanford. The animals approach during an inbetween-time, either at dusk or in the fog. They demand the dreamer’s attention. Then we hear the story of the Atomic Soldiers, veterans of test shots simulating combat conditions of atomic war in the 1950s, in their own words. ACT 4 – Ghost Food Scene 1 – Tank Waste A dreamer nds strangers in the basement of the house, pouring high level waste into an empty bottle marked with a genie. Another dreamer hears instructions to eat high level waste and learns that all the waste will disappear if “everyone” eats just one spoonful. Scene 2 – Plutonium A dreamer describes plutonium as the fruit of the Tree of Life – it has cast us out of Paradise by poisoning the earth and making it possible for us to destroy each other. Epilogue A dreamer enters the B-Reactor looking for a gift for her long-dead father. Someone in the reactor is singing, and the songs become owers. She wants to bring the owers back to her father for his gift, but it starts to rain and the wet owers turn to ashes and disappear, all but the owers she holds in her own hands. She weaves them into her father’s gift.
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Conductor Score
Nuclear Dreams
Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers Simply = c. 64–68
Tenor
Violin Viola Violoncello Flute
T.
Vc.
Vc.
D. B.
a trench.
u - til - i - ty jack - ets
I was in
our weap - ons,
and a gas mask
and for pro - tec -
peo - ple
with for - ty oth - er
B
a - bout four in the morn - ing they
a pla - toon
ve, nine - teen - f - ty sev - en,
hel - mets,
we just had our
On the morn - ing of Ju - ly
It was a mile from ground ze - ro, or less.
tion,
-
A
Vln Vla
8
13 A. T.
Vln Vla
put us in
B.
Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
We fol - lowed the in - struc - tions, which were
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
6
S.
A.
B.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
18. Atomic Soldiers
18
Vln
Vla
Vc.
- nine,
gas
Vla
Vc.
on.
I
-
ty
it
-
sev
down.
It
got down
to
f - ty -
I got my
nine
They
and
start
-
ed
I grabbed my
a
hel - met,
at mid - night
It was com - plete - ly day - light
D
en,
-
They start - ed a count - down...
put it up to my head and the bomb went off
f
heads and co - ver our eyes.
had trou - ble cinch - ing
bow our
C
f - ty - eight,
mask
put our backs towards the shot,
count - down...
B.
Vln
24 S.
Fl.
to crouch down
22 S.
B.
Bright - er than the bright - est day
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7
18. Atomic Soldiers
S.
T.
Fl.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
S.
T.
B.
Fl.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
29
you
ev - er saw.
E
I
It was com - plete - ly
came in - to
F
I
saw the blood ves - sels in
my
hands
to - tal - ly blind - ed
and
and the bones
in
my
Ev - en the guy’s bones and back that was in
I was
mid - night
at
day - light
my eyes.
when I came out of the blind - ness
33
can - not be - gin to de - scribe the light that
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
8
18. Atomic Soldiers
S.
A.
T.
36
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
at
Peo - ple scream - ing
be - cause of
a
the heat.
few
I
were hav - ing
a
lit - tle trou - ble
at
and peo - ple
pizz.
-
ing
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and run
they were throw - ing up
Peo - ple scream
It was com - plete - ly day - light
mean there was pan - ic
guys
sempre
and run - ning
G
mid - night
scream - ing
Fl.
mid - night
B.
40 S.
A.
front of you
Fl.
It was com - plete - ly day - light
arm.
B.
sempre
-
ning
and that’s a
9
18. Atomic Soldiers
43 S. A.
T.
B.
ma dolce
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
47 A.
B.
Fl.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
It
was so big.
The col - ors were beau - ti - ful.
The
scream - ing
-
ning
I
I did - n’t sleep for a long time
and that’s a nor - mal thing, I guess
they were throw - ing up
and lav - en - ders
and run
scream - ing and run - ning
I hate to say that.
col - ors were beau - ti - ful.
Peo - ple
Beau - ti - ful pur - ples
Or - an - ges and reds.
T.
big.
It was so
nor - mal thing, I guess
Fl.
H
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10
S.
18. Atomic Soldiers
51
sempre
B. Fl.
Vln
Vla
af - ter - ward.
day - light
on
Vln Vla Vc. Fl.
A.
58
J
Vln Vla Vc. D. B.
Not
ver - y
Beau - ti - ful pur - ples
B. T.
at
and lav - en - ders
and reds.
HEL - LO!
head.
would al - ways
head.
K
there.
at mid - night
There’s just this dream in your
at mid - night
ash
that would
was com - plete - ly
no, it is - n’t. There’s no light - bulb out
It
No,
light
It was com - plete - ly day - light
Time to get up!
have this bright
They start - ed a count - down...
There’s just this dream in your
I
mid - night
well
Or - an - ges
B.
A.
It was com - plete - ly day - light
54
S.
If
it was on - ly done for the
arco
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11
18. Atomic Soldiers
A.
T.
63
Vln Vla
Vc.
D. B.
A.
T.
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
S.
A.
T.
67
hear
70
Vln Vla Vc.
it,
we don’t need it.
not on the
It’s way too
tel - e - vi - sion
or
in
Who - ev - er
is
list’ - ning to this
If you could
a mo - vie,
but the
They
start - ed
ac - tu - al
Who - ev - er
is
thing,
Who - ev - er
to this
Who - ev - er
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
I
is list’n - ing to this
list’n - ing
a count - down...
if
stay full
the col - ors
just see
sempre
start - ed a count - down...
They
de - va - stat - ing
think you would a - gree with me.
Fl.
that
L
rest of the hu - man race to know
you could just
Vln
is list’n - ing
Who - ev - er
is
12
18. Atomic Soldiers
73 S.
A.
T.
Who - ev - er
list’n - ing to this
B.
Fl.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
S.
A.
T.
B.
and
dream
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
lav - en - ders
Who - ev
in
-
we
your
don’t need
head.
is list’n - ing
er
list’n - ing to
-
this
The
There’s just
er
list’ - ning
is
this
dream
in
Or
col - ors were
mid - night
at
your
-
it.
Who - ev - er
Who - ev - er
is list’n - ing
is list’n - ing
There’s
this
dream
this
Who - ev - er
in
There’s just
col - ors were
day - light
ples
The
-
is list’n - ing
your
It was com - plete - ly
an - ges and reds.
head.
Beau - ti - ful pur
beau - ti - ful.
Who - ev
It was com - plete - ly day - light
is list’n - ing
is
beau - ti - ful.
Vln
Who - ev - er
Who - ev - er
76
is list’n - ing
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at
Who - ev - er
head.
is
13
18. Atomic Soldiers
S.
79
mid - night
A.
T.
Vln
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
to
Vla
Vc.
D. B.
this
There’s just
at
this
Who - ev - er
dream
is list’n - ing
Who - ev - er
Who - ev - er
list’n - ing
to
this
There’s
just
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
dream
this
poco allarg.
It was com - plete - ly day - light at mid - night Bright - er than the bright - est day you ev - er saw.
is list’n - ing
is
mid - night
M
82
is list’n - ing
B.
Vln
S.
Fl.
Who - ev - er
list’n - ing
B.
Atomic Soldiers Flute
Nuclear Dreams Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
Simply = c. 64–68
17
B
29
39
44
F
49
C
E
H
I
D
A
G
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
2
Atomic Soldiers Flute
54
58
73
J
K
L
M
poco allarg.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Atomic Soldiers Viola
Nuclear Dreams Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
Simply = c. 64–68
7
14
21
C
28
35
A
E
B
D
F
G
40
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
2
44
Atomic Soldiers Viola
48
54
61
68
75
80
K
J
M
L
I
H
poco allarg.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Atomic Soldiers Violin
Nuclear Dreams Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers
Simply = c. 64–68
8
Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
A
18
32
25
D
F
C
44
H
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
B
E
G
39
I
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
2
Atomic Soldiers Violin
51
58
J
68
75
80
L
M
K
poco allarg.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Atomic Soldiers Cello
Nuclear Dreams Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers
Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
Simply = c. 64–68
8
15
22
31
38
G
A
B
F
D
44
H
C
E
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
2
Atomic Soldiers Cello
47
54
K
69
75
80
I
62
L
M
J
poco allarg.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Atomic Soldiers Double Bass
Nuclear Dreams Nancy Welliver
Reginald Unterseher
18. Atomic Soldiers Excerpted from Knibbe, Morgan, The Atomic Soldiers. New York Times Ops-Docs: Season 6. Web. 16 Mar 2019 used by permission of Morgan Knibbe and the New York Times
Simply = c. 64–68
16
31
38
45
49
G
C
F
D
E
pizz.
79
H
65
B
A
I
J
M
K
arco
L
words © 2019 Nancy Welliver, music © 2019 Reginald Unterseher
poco allarg.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.