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Sarah Rimkus

By the Waters of Babylon for SATB choir

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Emily LaVoy – By the Waters of Babylon (2017) Psalm 137 for SATB choir with divisi and choral solos (c. 7’) from ‘Babylon’ for choir and percussion

I have always been fascinated by travel and distances. I’ve moved homes a fair amount in my life, as have many of us, and I often have my most creative ideas while moving from place to place in some way or another. A great deal of music throughout history has had a similar fascination – fitting for an art form that is so heavily based on movement and narrative through time. This is even more apparent in American arts and culture, a fragmented culture built by immigrants (voluntary and forced), where so much of our music carries themes of journeying and pilgrimage and the solitude and alienation felt along the way. This setting of Psalm 137, one of the most popular psalms to set to music for concert and popular musicians alike, speaks to these themes in an outpouring of grief for a distant homeland. European composers and church musicians have often seen and used Latin and liturgical texts as a sort of lingua franca. In this piece, the dead language becomes the "babble" of Babylon, like the ghost of a dead religion or culture. This setting comes from a longer work, Babylon for choir and percussion, which uses sacred texts like this psalm and texts from American folk music to express a journey through these themes.

Performance notes: *Much of this piece features aleatoric text, shown in boxes with arrows, which should be repeated by the singers at a comfortable pace independently of each other. The music indicates the volume at which they should do this at any given time. **This piece also contains a number of choral solos. The soloists should perform from within the group. The chosen soloists can vary from section to section of the piece – a variety of voices throughout the piece is encouraged.

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

to Andrew Rimkus

By the waters of Babylon Psalm 137

Sarah Rimkus

"Super flumina..."

(whisper)

b & b b b 44 V

∑

π w

hmm

"Super flumina..." (whisper)

hmm

"Super flumina..." (whisper)

hmm

"Super flumina..." (whisper)

π w

hmm

"Super flumina..."

hmm

"Super flumina..."

π w

(whisper)

bbb π b w V ?

(whisper)

& &

"Super flumina..."

π bw

q = c. 52

hmm

"Super flumina..."

(S1 dim. al niente...)

w dim. al niente...

(whisper)

dim. al niente...

(whisper)

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2 Very freely, song-like (q = c. 52) 13

bbbb S1

∑

b w & b bb

choral solo

P very expressive ‰ œj œ œ œ ˙ By

the

‰ Jœ

wa - ters,

œ œ.

the

œ bœ œ œ

œ œ.

ters,

the

wa - ters

"Super flumina..." (very quietly)

hmm

A1 "Super flumina..." (very quietly)

"Super flumina..."

dim. al niente...

(very quietly)

b & b bb œ .

of Ba - by - lon

P very expressive ‰ œj œ œ œJ œ choral solo, diﬀerent voice

j œ œ. œ œ

we sat and

wept,

j œ bœ J œ and wept,

j œ œ J œ

and

wept,

œ œ bœ

when we

re - mem -

& (sempre pp )

"Super flumina..."

& (sempre pp )

"Super flumina..."

b & b bb Ó

hmm

π 44 w

b & b bb œ œ ˙ .

2 4

4 4

& A

∑

bered.

"Super flumina..."

bbbb

b & b bb

hmm

∑

S1 (tutti)

∑

hmm

42 ‰

choral solo

j œ œ œ By

the

44 œ

hmm

wa - ters,

‰ œj œ . œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ the

ters,

wept

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‰ œj œ b œ when we

re -

b & b bb b w

42 Œ

S1 (tutti)

& A1

"Super flumina..."

A A2 3 soli

bb &bb ‰

bb & b b bœ.

(sempre

bbbb

b & b bb Ó

b & b bb A2

œ bœ

œ.

re - mem

j œ ˙

j œ

mem

j œ ˙ bered–

A2 (tutti)

j œ

re - mem - bered

pp )

P very expressive ‰ j œ œ œ œ the

wa - ters,

‰ Jœ

the

œ œ.

˙.

P very expressive j ‰ œ œ œ By

the

wa - ters,

‰ œj œ the

œ bœ œ œ

œ.

ters,

˙.

Zi - on.

œ œ. ters,

44 44

bered,

Hmm

"super flumina Babylonis..."

42 ‰

bered–

44 w

the

wa - ters

j œ œ. œ œ

"super flumina Babylonis..."

j œ

bœ.

"super flumina Babylonis..."

when

mem

j œ œ bœ

‰

p œ

A1 "super flumina Babylonis..."

b & b bb Ó

the

˙.

ters

"super flumina Babylonis..." (whisper)

"super flumina Babylonis..."

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Ba - by - lon

j ‰ œ œ œ

b & b bb ˙

we sat and

choral solo very expressive

and

wept,

œ œ bœ

œ- œ b œj œ- œ J J wept,

when we

and

re - mem

bœ

ters,

the

wa -

œ œ ˙.

bered.

wept,

j œ

when

re - mem

‰ œ.

ters,

bered. dim. al niente...

"Babylonis..."

œ -

dim. al niente...

j œ œJ

and wept,

sat

and

wept,

"Babylonis..."

"Babylonis..." 42

j œ œ

44 ‰ œ

∑

the

"Babylonis..."

b 2 V b bb 4 ‰ œ

the wa

- ters,

the

ters

j œ œ.

‰ œj œ b œ

j œ œ œ By

42 42

T2 "super flumina Babylonis..."

bb 2 &bb 4 ‰ V

the wa

bb 2 &bb 4 &

œ œ J

and wept,

"Babylonis..."

‰ œj œ œ

P bbb ‰ œ b V

j œœ J

"super flumina Babylonis..."

wept,

"super flumina Babylonis..."

b & b bb ˙ &

œ- œ j œ- œ J bœ J

œ J

the

44 œ

wa - ters,

‰ œj œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ the

ters,

wept

when we

"illic sedemus..."

44 œ

wa - ters,

‰ œJ

the

œ wa

œ -

ters,

œ œ. J we

sat

and

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œ wept

re -

5 "Babylonis..."

dim. al niente...

bb &bb œ

sat

& A

and

j œ ˙

poco cresc.

Zi - on.

j œ

j œ œ

bered,

p ‰ œj œ

the wa

j œ œ

the wa

F œ

ters,

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

p (still a whisper, but slightly louder)

˙.

F œ

j œ œ œ œ

‰ Aœ

re - mem - bered

Zi - on.

F ‰ Jœ

the

re - mem - bered

∑

˙.

Zi - on.

∑

˙.

F œ œ œ ‰ Jœ By

the

˙ -

œ ‰ J

ters

the

"illic sedemus..."

∑

œ ‰ œj

∑

–and wept,

b & b bb œ

‰ Jœ œ œ .

the wa-ters

b & b bb ˙ &

re - mem

? bb b b

b & b bb

œ.

œ bœ

œ bb Vbb ‰ J

‰

bered,

poco cresc.

re - mem - bered

‰

˙.

"illic sedemus..."

when

wept–

dim. al niente...

mem

"Babylonis..."

bb & b b bœ. V

p ‰ œj œ N œ

‰ bœ. the

˙.

and

œ œ œ. œ ˙.

‰ œ.

j œ bœ.

‰ œj œ œ

œ- œ J

j œ- œ bœ J

œ œ œ ‰ J

œ- œ J

b œ œJ œ J

œ œ œ. œ ˙.

œ wept,

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

Ba - by - lon,

wa - ters

bœ

Ba - by - lon,

wept,

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

b V b bb œ

œ -

‰ œ.

ters,

the

V p (still a whisper, but slightly louder)

wa - ters,

we sat and

wept,

and

wept,

j œ

and

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

? bb b œ œ . œ œ . b wa

œ bœ œ œ

ters,

the wa - ters

p (still a whisper, but slightly louder)

œ.

œ J œ. œ œ

of Ba - by - lon

we sat and

wept,

and

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

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wept,

œ J

and

b œ & b bb

sat

42 œ

and

wept.

‰

j œ

sat

and

42 ‰ œ

wept.

œ œ bœ

wept,

when we

œ œ ˙.

re - mem

bered.

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

? b b b œJ b

œ J

wept,

when

re - mem

44 Ó

the

bered.

wa - ters,

44 "cum recordaremur..."

∑

44 ‰ œ A Jœ œ By

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

the wa

bb &bb œ bb &bb & V

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

wa - ters,

the

ters

sat

and

j œ œ.

ters

sat

and

œ wept,

hmm

‰ b œj œ œ

wept

when we

P A˙

œ wept

? b b œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ œ bb wa

ters,

"cum recordaremur..."

˙.

we wept

when we

when we re - mem "Sion..."

œ.

re - mem

œ J

j œ

j œ ˙

mem - bered–

‰ b œj œ œ

‰ œJ œ b œ b œ .

œ.

dim. al niente...

"Sion..."

"cum recordaremur..."

j œ œ

"Sion..."

"cum recordaremur..."

b V b bb œ .

hmm

j œ. œ

ters

"cum recordaremur..."

"Sion..."

‰ Jœ

poco rit. 55

j œ

the

44 "cum recordaremur..."

∑

the

‰

j bœ

‰ Aœ

j 42 ‰ œ œ œ 44 œ

˙ -

j 44 œ œ

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

44 ˙

"illic sedemus et flevimus..."

b V b b b œJ

wept,

and

‰ bœ.

b j & b bb œ œ . &

P A˙

hmm

bered,

42 42 2 4

bered, dim. al niente...

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies. **gradually come together on hum

a tempo

b & b b b 42 ‰

p j œ

b V b b b 42 ‰

hmm

our

? bb 4 b b 4 bœ -

œ-

& 45 V 45 ? 45

tor

f #œ

tor

f #œ

tor

44 œ

œœ J

Zi - on.

men

j œœ

men

N œœ J

men

œ J

men

bœ.

tors

œ.

tors

œ. cap

œ.

cap

œ J

tors asked

j œ œ

tors asked

œ J

tors asked

œ bœ J

tors asked

aœ

œœ

j œ

43 b œ

the trees

j œ

43 ˙

the trees

œ J

43 ˙

the trees

œ.

the trees

œœ

œœ œ

songs,

for

œ œ

for

de - man - ded

œ œ œ œ ˙ songs,

songs,

songs

44 # w

songs,

44 # w

hung our

joy,

P j œ ˙

joy,

harps,

œ we

hung,

44 44

n n n n 45

œ 42

‰ # Jœ

42 œ

‰ # œj n n n n 45

our

24 # œ# œ( # œ)

our

n n n n 45

our

œ 42

P j œ ˙

harps,

hung,

songs,

œ œ for

hung our

j œ œ.

songs,

œ œ

44 . #œ

de - man - ded

œœ

44 œ .

de - man - ded

œœ

#œ

de - man - ded

œ.

œœ .. -

43 œ b œ

œ.

F increasingly passionate œ œ œ œ.

tors

There

harps for there our

increasingly passionate

There

œ.

F increasingly passionate œ œ œ œ.

˙.

harps for there our

our

f # œœ

There

For there our

œ-

‰

j œ

increasingly passionate

There

j œ œ

b & b b b 44 ˙

tor

For there our

hung

Zi - on.

‰

f # N œœ 5 &4

˙.

j œ œ

b & b b b 44 ˙

b V b b b 44 b œ-

44 w

hung

re - mem - bered

? b b b 42 Œ b

44 œ 44 Ó

∑

re - mem - bered

bb 2 &bb 4

With a bit more motion (q = c. 52-60)

˙ #w

‰ # Jœ

our

#˙

n n n n 45

✓

songs,

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rit.

& œ.

j #œ ˙

& œ.

j #œ ˙

& #œ.

j #œ ˙

& #œ.

j #œ ˙

songs

joy;

V w

? w

∑

‰

#œ

˙.

œ J

‰

˙.

œ J

‰

˙.

œ J

œ œ œ. œ J

& V T

songs

‰

"Sing

on!"

the

"cum recordaremur Sion..." (speaking, just under the breath)

ƒ w> ‰ ww

Sing!

‰ œ œ #œ J

ƒ dramatic œ œ #œ J

"Sing us

the

œ.

#œ œ œ. œ J

songs

Zi - on!"

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

‰ œJ œ œ œj # œ .

œ. œ œ. ˙ & œ

œ.

songs

the

(speaking, just under the breath)

songs.

˙ œ & J ‰

j œ

œ.

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

songs.

ƒ dramatic j œ œ #œ

"Sing gradually begin spoken text...

songs.

"Sing

(speaking, just under the breath)

joy.

œ-

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

joy.

a tempo

They said,

gradually begin spoken text...

joy;

ƒ dramatic Œ œ-

on!"

"Sing

#œ

the

#œ

œ œ œ #œ œ

songs,

the songs of

on,

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

œ. songs

#œ œ œ. œ œ. J of

œ J œ

on!"

nœ ˙ J

Nœ. ‰ œ œ #œ J "Sing us

the songs

œ J

œ œ.

œ œ. Zi

on!"

"cum recordaremur Sion..."

? ˙˙ ˙

(non dim.)

r œ œ œ

˙> ˙˙

w ww

˙. ˙˙ . .

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‰ œ # œJ

& ˙

#˙

œ œ

How?

œ ‰ ˙ J

œ Nœ

œ b˙.

How?

œ #œ œ.

Œ ˙

on!"

How

j œ œ œ. œ

can

we sing

songs

œ.

j Nœ œ

œ œ.

the

Lord

"cum recordaremur..."

V V

œ J ‰

"cum recordaremur..."

& œJ ‰ # œ # œ œ œ . œ &

How?

œ œ #œ

‰ œ.

œ œ œ ‰ œ J

Ba - by - lon,

œ Nœ

how

P (but weighted) Œ œ- œ- œ-

j œ œ œ. ˙.

œ. can

sing

songs of

"cum recordaremur..."

>˙ . ? N ˙˙ ..

How,

>˙ . ˙˙ ..

œœ œ

How,

p & w

can

œœ œ

P (but weighted) œœ- œœ- œœŒ bœ œ œ

ww bw

sing

songs of

∑

"illic sedemus..."

& ˙

gradually shift to a whisper...

œ a

for

V œ

Lord

for

land?

b˙

π bw

eign

Lord

? œ œ

B2+3

b œœ

whisper:

"illic sedemus..."

b ˙˙

˙ ˙

P œ bœ in

for

b˙

for

gradually shift to a whisper...

"illic sedemus..."

œœ

land?

"illic sedemus..."

? œ B

b˙

eign

the

π w w

gradually shift to a whisper...

w w

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b˙

eign

the

p & ‰ b œj b œ b œ b œ

mournfully S1 choral solo

S1 3 soli

& Ó

choral solo

for - get

∑

for

bœ

˙.

get

you,

œ a

b˙

eign

bœ

b˙

p mournfully j ‰ bœ bœ bœ By

the

˙. -

ters

& (whisper)

S2 "illic sedemus..."

& (whisper)

"illic sedemus..."

you,

p mournfully j ‰ bœ bœ bœ

(sim.)

bœ

for

"illic sedemus..."

land?

π V w

∑

"illic sedemus..."

land?

V (whisper)

"illic sedemus..."

(sim.)

for

? "illic sedemus..." (whisper)

b˙

? Ó

˙ ˙

land...

w w

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eign

& ‰ b œj b œ b œ

œ bœ. J

& Ó

‰

S1 3 soli

for

& &

j bœ bœ bœ

∑

œ bœ ˙.

eign

get,

for

get,

‰

bœ

j j bœ œ bœ the

∑

"super flumina Babylonis..."

land?

"illic sedemus..."

Nœ

œ a

for

Nœ

bœ

b˙

"super flumina Babylonis..."

∑

V w

land?

ters,

"super flumina Babylonis..."

j œ ˙

"illic sedemus..."

? Ó

for

"super flumina Babylonis..."

˙ ˙

land...

w w

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eign

& ‰ bœ

S1 3 soli

j j bœ œ bœ I,

∑

& &

w ‰ b œj b œ b œ If

Nœ J

∑

‰ p bw

"super flumina Babylonis..."

∑

bœ

j bœ œ the

ters

hmm

"Super flumina..."

"super flumina Babylonis..."

dim.

land?

"Super flumina..."

dim.

"Super flumina..."

dim.

V w

land?

? B

"Super flumina..."

? Ó

dim.

˙ ˙

land...

w w

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∑

N˙

˙.

& ‰ b œj b œ b œ ˙

& w

‰ œj b œ .

& bw

bœ

& bœ

100

bœ

∑

I...

S1 3 soli

Ba - by - lon...

& (quiet as possible)

∑

π b˙

∑

w w

∑ π b˙

hmm

"Super flumina..."

∑

I...

œ ˙

"Super flumina..." (quiet as possible)

V (quiet as possible)

"Super flumina..."

"Super flumina..." (quiet as possible)

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By the Waters of Babylon | Sarah Rimkus | MusicSpoke