How Little Time We Have | Robert Redei | MusicSpoke

Performance Notes:

how little time we have is a selection of tweets by Scott Simon during his mother's final days in July of 2013. I have tried to be as true to the spirit of the original tweets in these compositions as I know how. The tweets, and therefore the work, are as much about life as they are about death; they are intended to commemorate and celebrate the relationship of a mother and son. My deepest gratitude goes to Scott Simon and Patricia Lyons Simon Newman for giving us these words. Through loss, they manage to make us thankful, and through death,they affirm life.

-Rob Redei October 18, 2014

Transitions between pieces should be done as direct segues whenever possible, and must be done that way no matter what between 9 and 10. If starting pitches must be given, they should be given on handbells or by voice from a choir member with absolute pitch in order to maintain the atmosphere of the work. If handbells are used, these are the complete pitches needed:

1. Mother Called

Words tweeted by Scott Simon

p p p p

2. Every Baby Boy

SATB a

œ ˙ ˙ "

"Eve ry ba by boy

œ œ œ œ œ œ "

eve ry ba by boy œ œ œ œ œ œ "

eve ry ba by boy

œ œ œ œ ˙˙ "

eve ry ba by boy

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ "

eve ry ba by boy

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

eve ry

Music by Rob Redei 13 This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

ry ba by

œ œ œ œ œ n

ry ba by

2. Every Baby Boy two

3. Three Jewish Husbands

3. Three Jewish Husbands

hus bands three hus bands

bands three hus bands three

Jew ish hus bands three Jew ish

3. Three Jewish Husbands

3. Three Jewish Husbands

3. Three Jewish Husbands

3. Three Jewish Husbands

4. On Forever

SATB with high and low djembe*

Words tweeted by Scott Simon

* The djembes may be replaced by any type of high/low drum combination. More drums can be added as deemed appropriate. Alternatively, the drums can be omitted, particularly if the performance space is too resonant.

5. Hello Chicago!

6. Oh Earth

Words tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

7. They Usually Forget Flossing

Words tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

*Sound made by rolling fingers on drums, snaps, etc. The sound is random in rhythm, but increases in intensity and then relaxes. The episode is a half note in length.

8. Hold on to Her

9. Heart Dropping/The Heavens Over Chicago

Words tweeted by Scott Simon Music by Rob Redei

* These are heartbeats. Glottal attacks, as deep as possible. Just basses can do this, or, if it doesn't carry, tenors can join. Each time the pair of heartbeats repeat, they should move farther apart.

9. Heart Dropping All Choir, Audible exhale

10. She Will Make the Face Of Heaven Shine

SATB with Djembe, Castanets, Gong, Tubular Bells and Handbells

Text by William Shakespeare as tweeted by Scott Simon

*Castanets can be substituted by woodblocks, claves, or any dry, higher sound. The Djembe can be substituted by a resonant deeper sound, e.g. tabla or low tom.

& V ?

* This section should incorporate a slight theatrical element. Those choir members with held percussion will bring them out only as they use them. As this section unfolds, the choir should be moving in some way to fan out around the audience. Certain members can move into place to play the tubular bells and gong. The effect is intended to be a move from commemoration to celebration. As the final notes of the piece ascend, choir members should raise their faces upwards and towards the center of the room, to a point above the audience.

*The handbells starting in bar 70 are aleatoric in nature. Those who play them from the choir will play them out of rhythm to the rest of the piece. The intended effect is that they become more and more sparse as the section progresses cutting out entirely by bar 78. Although aleatoric, all players should observe the rest in bar 75.

*This section may be sung exactly as notated. It may also be sung somewhat aleatorically, with individual voices singing their ascending figure out of synch with others in their sections. All voices meet up at the fermata and glissando into the final chord together.

Commissioned by the Wicker Park Choral Singers, Mark Tomasino, Artistic Director

She Will Make the Face Of Heaven Shine

from How Little Time We have

SATB with optional Djembe, Castanets, Gong, Tubular Bells and Handbells

Text by William Shakespeare as tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

Commissioned by the Wicker Park Choral Singers, Mark Tomasino, Artistic Director

She Will Make the Face Of Heaven Shine

from How Little Time We have

SATB with optional Djembe, Castanets, Gong, Tubular Bells and Handbells

Text by William Shakespeare as tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

Commissioned by the Wicker Park Choral Singers, Mark Tomasino, Artistic Director

She Will Make the Face Of Heaven Shine

from How Little Time We have

SATB with optional Djembe, Castanets, Gong, Tubular Bells and Handbells

Text by William Shakespeare as tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

(extremely light beaters)

score

Commissioned by the Wicker Park Choral Singers, Mark Tomasino, Artistic Director

She Will Make the Face Of Heaven Shine

from How Little Time We have

SATB with optional Djembe, Castanets, Gong, Tubular Bells and Handbells

Text by William Shakespeare as tweeted by Scott Simon

Music by Rob Redei

Castanets can be substituted by woodblocks, claves, or any dry, higher sound. The Djembe can be substituted by a resonant deeper sound, e.g. tabla or low tom.