this is but an oration of loss
for voices 2022
Score
Version 28.09.2022
Sy. 9103
ISMN 979-0-2042-9103-8
Copyright © 2022 by G. Ricordi & Co. Bühnen- und Musikverlag GmbH, Berlin
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All rights reserved / Tutti i diritti riservati
CopyrightbyG.Ricordi&Co./Forperusalonly
Commissioned by Ekmeles. First performance by the ensemble at the crypt of the Church of the Intercession, New York City, on Friday 27 May 2022.
The text is taken from M. NourbeSe Philip's Zong! ( #1, #26, and Ebora), with deepest gratitude to the author for permission, and from Chapter 37 of the Book of Ezekiel.
Instrumentation
Soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Alto
Tenor (also playing D and E Harmonicas and The Blue Danube wind-up music box)
Baritone (also playing C and D Harmonicas and Moon River wind-up music box)
Bass (also playing B b and C Harmonicas)
Duration c. 12'
CopyrightbyG.Ricordi&Co./Forperusalonly
‘When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth.
Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your wares and all your company have gone down with you.
All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder with horror and their faces are distorted with fear.
The merchants among the nations scoff at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more .’
(Ezekiel 27:33-36)
Performance Directions
VOICES
+cupped mouth: cover mouth with hand, ensuring that there are no gaps between fingers. The sound should be noticeably restricted.
○ uncupped mouth.
An arrow between these two signs: gradually cover or uncover the mouth using a slow arm movement.
With the hand covering the mouth, quickly uncover and cover the mouth by lifting just the fingers away from the cheek, to produce a wah-wah sound. Continuation of this is shown by tremolo slashes on note stems.
Where possible, freely spoken or whispered passages can carry over into subsequent rests.
HARMONICAS
If a breath is required when playing the harmonicas, diminuendo to silence before doing so, and re-enter with a crescendo from silence afterwards. Breaths should be staggered between the harmonica players when playing tog ether.
When playing two harmonicas simultaneously, take a harmonica in each hand, or two in one hand, place vertically against mouth to blow/draw for as long as each exhale/inhale allows, as slow as possible. Stated pitches are guidelines only. Blow/draw in general range (low, medium, high), as shown.
When speaking into a harmonica, keep lips in contact with the instrument throughout, changing the mouth shape to form the words, as indicated by cross noteheads.
MUSIC BOXES
Music boxes should be placed conveniently nearby, on a low table or similar. The lids should remain closed throughout.
Wind-up music boxes, and harmonicas can be sourced from online platforms. Ensure that the music boxes will play independently once wound, rather than only sounding when cranked.
this is but an oration of loss for Ekmeles and NourbeSe
Hannah Kendall M. NourbeSe Philip, Ezekiel 37
¢ Copyright © 2022 by Hannah Kendall Soprano
Mezzosoprano
Tenor
Baritone
I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin...
I will put breath in you, and you will come to life… this is a tale torn cold to our souls stage whisper
q= c. 66 Urgent
stage whisper * /
was the need was the perils was the want was the particular circumstance was the seas was the costs was the could was the would
stage whisper
was the policy was the loss was the vessel was the rains was the order was the that was the this was the necessity was the mistake * / & p
stage whisper was the cause was the remedy was the record was the argument was the delay was the evidence was overboard
* spoken or whispered texts may be finished in following rests if necessary
was the captain was the crew was the result… was the voyage stage whisper
stage whisper
was the voyage was the water was the maps was the weeks
stage whisper was the weeks was the winds was the calms was the captain was the seas was the rains… was the declaration was the apprehension /0
thevoyage - was
spoken stage whisper the oba sobs again
thevoyage
spoken stage whisper these words come from his lips
stage whisper our lust our loss all that is
was the therefore was the this…
thrown f was fp theques f -tion was p thecause f
thrown f was fp theques f -tion was p thecause f
…was the that was the necessity
Music Box The Blue Danube
wa p
wind slowly, ratchet-like allow music box to play
wind slowly, ratchet-like allow music box to play
Music Box Moon River
…there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
spoken earnestly Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.
thenorth,the
…bell ring(?) … do you hear the lute(?) take D harmonica
whisper
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.
spoken
Le main de l'Éternel fut sur moi, et l'Éternel me transporta en esprit, et me déposa dans le milieu d'une vallée remplie d'ossements.
allow music box to play
spoken with desperation mf Esprit, viens des quatre vents, souffle sur ces morts, et qu'ils revivent!
He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
mfspoken
Il me fit passer auprés d'eux, tout autour; et voici, ils étaient fort nombreux, à la surface de la vallée, et ils étaient complèment secs.
He asked me: "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." ...je vais faire entrer en vous un esprit, et vous vivrez; je vous donnerai des nerfs, je ferai croître sur vous de la chair, je vous couvrirai de peau, je mettrai en vous un esprit, et vous vivrez.
Il me dit: "Fils de l'homme, ce sos pourront-ils revivre? "Je répondis: "Seigneur Éternel, tu le sais." ...je vais faire entrer en vous un esprit, et vous vivrez; je vous donnerai des nerfs, je ferai croître sur vous de la chair, je vous couvrirai de peau, je mettrai en vous un esprit, et vous vivrez.
Remain motionless until the Moon River music box finishes, or the harmonica stops, whichever is last