ScoresOnDemand
Muhly, Nico The Last Letter
Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=14047939 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01123046/details.html?kbid=1296 Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/55410
Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
Commissioned by the Barbican Centre and the European Concert Hall Organisation, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. Premiered on 29 October 2015 at Milton Court Concert Hall, Barbican Centre, London, by Benjamin Appl (baritone) and Gary Matthewman (piano). Duration: c. 11 minutes
TEXTS One Dear Molly, A happy Christmas. I am sending this to my aunt to forward to you as I do not know the address. Please tell me your name as I have forgotten it.
Two Jack ----- my own ----- my only love ----- how I look for your next letter ----- how much longer shall I have to wait? Dearhearty, I want you ----- my life ----- Jack ----- how changed it is when you are by my side ----- what different air I seem to breathe into my lungs! Jack ----- Jack ----- oh! Hasten the day, the moment when I shall be by his side again ----- Jack, my Jack ----- my same, same heartmate, Goodnight my love ----- God bless you my own. How you would have smiled if you could have met me up the road today ----- Yes! you would then ----- to have seen me pushing David in his pram to Brayfield all on my own ----- Jack, if only ----but then how can I say, how can I express all that is in my heart? My love, my own, at such moments, Jack, when my love has looked, has seen into the very depths of my soul ----- My Jack ----- My, ‘Our’’ sacred love ----- when my very soul has been revealed to him ----- Jack ----- you know ----- How it grows and grows ----- My heart ----- surely it will burst ----- Jack ----- Jack ----- I want you ----- Oh! Let me feel you crushing my very life into yours ----- Jack ----- Jack ----- I live for you ----- always, always my own.
Three Dear Leader of the Company! I have a request to make of you. Although my husband has only been in the field for four months, I would like to ask you to grant him a leave of absence, namely, because of our sexual relationship. I would like to have my husband just once for the satisfaction of my natural desires. I just can’t live like this any more. I can’t stand it. It is, of course, impossible for me to be satisfied in other ways, firstly, because of all the children and secondly, because I do not want to betray my husband. So I would like to ask you very kindly to grant my request. I will then be able to carry on until we are victorious. With all reverence, Frau S.
Four Dear Husband! This is the last letter I am writing to you, because on the 24th I am going to marry another man. Then, I don’t have to work any longer. I have already been working for three years as long as you are away from home. All other men come home for leave, only you POWs never come. I will give the children to the orphanage. I don’t get a rat’s ass about a life like that! All wives whose husbands are POWs will do the same and get rid of the children. Three years of work are too much for the women. 20 Marks for benefit and 10 marks per child are not enough. One cannot live on that. Everything is so expensive now. One pound of bacon costs 8 mark, a shirt 9 mark. Your wife…
Five Fair world, where are you? Return again, Sweet springtime age of nature! Alas, only in the magic land of song Does your fabled memory live on. The desolate fields mourn, No god reveals himself to me; Of that warm, living image Only a shadow has remained
for Benjamin Appl
TH E L AST LET TER texts: 1 - 4: Love Letters of the Great War, ed. Mandy Kirkby, 5: e Gods of Greece, Friedrich Schiller, tr. Richard Wigmore
NICO MUHLY (2015)
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° Copyright © 2015 by St. Rose Music Publishing Co. and Chester Music Limited. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Warning: Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited by federal law and subject to criminal prosecution.
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