Issuu

david lang the day

for cello and pre-recorded materials or solo cello, narrator, and 4 cellos full score

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Warning : Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited by Federal law, and subject to criminal prosecution.

program note

the day was written for, and is dedicated to, my friend and longtime collaborator Maya Beiser, as a kind of introduction to my previous piece for her, world to come

world to come imagines the journey of the soul when it is separated from the body in death, as they struggle to find each other again. For the day I wanted to start earlier in the journ ey, exploring the ways we might review our lives, as they are running away from us. I wondered what I might discover if I cataloged the moments in our lives that we remember best, that seem like highlights in our memory of them. I wanted the act of remem bering to be as widespread as possible, so I imagined asking 300 very different people the question "What was the most important day in your life?" Every phrase that answers this I treated as a personal statement from someone, somewhere, about a moment that was so significant it felt worth holding onto. I hoped that assembling them together, into a single narrative, would help us feel the weight of a life, as it is being lived.

the day was commissioned by Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa for cellist Maya Beiser.

the day was premiered 17 August 2016 by Maya Beiser, in a production directed by Jim Findlay, at SFJAZZ in San Francisco, California.

The duration is approximately 30 minutes.

performance note

the day was originally imagined as a solo cello piece, with a prerecorded narrator and 4 prerecorded cellos, and it was written as a kind of prequel to my piece world to come , for solo cello, prerecorded voices and 8 prerecorded cellos. Together, the two pieces make an entire event, lasting one hour. It is, however, possible to perform the day by itself, without playing world to come , and it is also possible to imagine the day with all of its parts performed live.

CopyrightbyRicordiNewYork

The prerecorded media , performed by Maya Beiser and narrated by Kate Valk, may be rented from my publisher, but I recommend that all players make their own backing materials; in this way the sound of all the cellos in their performance will match, and players can tailor their versions of the ensemble sound to suit their own qualities, gear, sonic environments and interests.

All voices and instruments should be amplified. Lighting, video and staging are encouraged in the performance of this work.

The score and the parts have the narration written into them. The sentences are meant to enter approximately every three measures. Each sentence has a syllable that has been written in bold face –these bolded syllables are meant to align with the downbeat of every third measure. Syllables in bold are not necessarily accented – the bold is not an indicator of stress or accent or flow, but merely a means of coordinating the timing between the narration and the music.

the day

words by david lang

I remember the day

the day I ‘got’ it

I achieved the perfect engineering drawing

I actually was able to laugh with delight

I approached one the students

I arrived

I arrived and the fear of being alone

I arrived at the prison

I attended her wedding

I baited my hook

I became a true collector

I became colored

I became one of those things to be cast aside

I began a habit based on such commercials

I believe he parked his car in a driveway between a brick fence and the building

I bought 6 yards of a cream colored fabric

I bought it

I bought my first issue

I brought five items into the dressing room and they all fit

I brought him a pumpkin pie

I bumped you

I came across it in a local yarn shop

I came home from school, the day that darn boy punched me

I came home knowing that I wouldn’t go back

I came with him

I carried him, sleeping

I caught the bug

I chose the name

I could finally speak

I could no longer get out of bed

I cried my soul out

I decided

I decided I wanted my own studio

I decided I would switch

I decided it was my favorite number

I decided that the pain I was causing myself was truly optional

I decided to be less busy in my life

I decided to become a composer

I decided to end it, it was like a light came on in my head

I decided to learn how to make my own

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I decided to make a significant change in my lifestyle

I decided to move there for good

I decided to quit

I decided to run 18 miles

I decided to start

I did it

I did my first pull ups

I discovered that I would be independent

I discovered that site

I discovered the lights

I discovered the obscure figure

I disrespected my mom

I drove there

I earned my first pay

I emailed her to ask if I could be involved

I emailed him

I entered high school

I fell in love

I fell in love with her

I fell in love with the sea

I felt my hard work had paid off

I filmed him

I finally became a parent

I finally called them and told them I was coming

I finally did beat him

I finally did my first strict pull-up

I finally felt I had come into my own

I finally heard the words

I finally learned what it meant

I finally recognized my reflection in the mirror

I first climbed a rope

I first contacted you

I first decided I was going to run a half marathon

I first experienced it myself

I first heard his name

I first learned of you

I first met

I first met her

I first met him

I first met them, and the wonderful welcome they both gave me

I first met you

I first met you like it was just yesterday

I first sat down at the piano

I first saw

I first saw him in action

I first saw it

I first walked

I first watched him

I forgot her voice

I found it very well

I found out

I found out about his suicide

I found out about this horrific incident

I found out he actually liked me

I found out he had been killed in action

I found out he was gone

I found out it was bad

I found out my marriage was over

I found out, my mother came to my house to comfort me

I found this piece

I found you

I gave him his first train

I gave him the call

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I gave my life over to him

I gave them to myself

I gave you your new name

I glanced at the door

I got a call from a good friend

I got demoted

I got fired from my job

I got into college

I got married

I got my card

I got my ears pierced

I got my first camera

I got my release

I got rid of it

I got that bag in my hand

I got the book

I got the email

I got there

I got there to start filming

I got to be in the audience

I got to the south side of the bridge

I got traded

I had forgotten your middle name

I had her like it was yesterday

I had my first encounter

I had my interview

I had spicy food and liked it

I heard

I heard about him

I heard about his murder

I heard about his passing

I heard she was tragically killed

I heard the announcement that he had been killed

I heard the news - I couldn’t believe it

I hosted his article

I invited him to walk with me

I knew it was a friendship that was meant to grow and grow and grow

I knew it would be all

I knew it would be all right to call him

I knew without a shadow of a doubt

I landed

I learned all about centrifugal and centripetal forces

I learned that he lived on the street next to mine

I learned to read, just like it was yesterday

I learned to ride a bicycle

I left

I left home

I let him into my life

I let you go

I lost a piece of my heart

I lost my fire

I lost my sight

I lost my virginity

I made a decision to commit to beating my fears

I made it to the place I would be staying

I made the

I made the decision

I made you write the paper

I marched off to war

I met

I met her

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I met her and hardly knew her

I met him

I met my future

I met the director

I met the store’s owner

I met with him

I met you

I moved my things to my own room down the hall

I needed you

I painted this picture

I picked up my first book

I picked up the phone

I planted

I pointed out to the special instruction teacher, that I was worried

I possibly saw

I quit my job

I quit waiting tables

I ran for the first time

I read this

I realized

I realized I couldn’t let her

I realized I was different

I realized I was no longer depressed

I realized my children had ruined my dreams

I realized this

I realized we weren’t all the same

I really got them going

I really noticed I was sensitive to the sun

I received her first email telling me about the wedding

I received my acceptance letter

I received my first device

I received that first email

I received the call

I received the gifts

I received the news

I said

I sang this song to you

I sat on a tram

I saved my brother so clearly it hurts

I saw a piece on tv about military veterans

I saw he was following me

I saw the advertisement

I saw these animals for the first time

I saw these two photos

I saw what inspired this piece clearly

I searched it

I sent an email to her

I signed up

I spent cooking

I spent with you

I spoke with her

I started chemo

I started having migraines

I started leaving for home

I started loving again

I started out

I started researching

I started to feel as though my symptoms were dissipating

I started to move forward from the fire

I stepped completely into my confidence.

I stood next to him

I stood on the scale

I stopped speaking

I stumbled

I switched

I talked

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I talked to myself sternly

I tasted the wine

I thought it too

I thought of this

I told her

I told him

I told my mom

I told you that I loved you

I took in my first stray kittens

I took it a bit too far

I took that photograph

I took the photo

I took the tests

I took them

I took this job

I took this picture of him

I tried to demonstrate the reaction

I tried to end my life

I turned down the offer

I turned older

I walked away

I walked away from this empty flight

I walked in to school

I walked into that shop

I walked out of my house

I walked through the doors

I walked up to the mall

I was a fair way out from the shore

I was able

I was announced

I was born

I was born perfectly

I was calling the distributors

I was chosen to be a part of their group

I was chosen, I was so excited

I was diagnosed

I was diagnosed, seeing my whole world pass before my eyes

I was exposed to it

I was first introduced to it quite clearly

I was forced to say hello

I was fortunate enough to be given the name

I was given a tour of the shelter

I was handed my first set of poles

I was having an evaluation

I was inspired

I was introduced to him

I was invited there by a cousin and little did I know it would change my life

I was named

I was notified like it was yesterday

I was notified that I had made the cut

I was promoted

I was saved

I was sick

I was sitting at the computer trying to make sense

I was standing next to her and she told me to be strong

I was standing on the stage

I was standing with a group of girlfriends

I was sworn in

I was teaching

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I was thrown out of my comfort zone

I was told

I was with my friends

I went into my closet to put on a pair of jeans

I went to audition

I went to my appointment

I went to my professor and told him

I went to my therapist and I told her that my hips and knees were hurting

I went to the army

I went to the doctor I actually felt sick

I went to the hospital to see you

I went with some friends to get away for the weekend

I wrote my letter of resignation