Akshaya Avril Tucker: The Heart Savors its Fragrance (2019) for Solo Cello

Akshaya Avril Tucker

The Heart Savors its Fragrance for Solo Violoncello

2019

Duration: approx. 16 min.

Full Score

Commissioned by Robert Howard with support by the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music This version of the piece contains some basic choreographed hand gestures. A sonic-only version is available.

Performance Notes LH: Left Hand RH: Right Hand s.p.: sul ponticello m.s.p.: molto sul ponticello s.t.: sul tasto ord.: common practice bow placement Dampen string with LH or left fingers (no pitch) Open string Double harmonics: touch two nodes on the same string.

Dotted line with arrow: motion of the left hand/arm, through space, from one position to the next Overpressure: Experiment with about 75% scratch and 25% pitch.

Triangle Noteheads: Play with the bow on these nodes of the strings.

Apply a bit of pressure and scrape bow down vertically, from "ord." placement, all the way to the threads of the strings.

Mentally say the written words, and play the rhythm that you hear. When repeating the phrase, keep altering the way you "play" the words. Align the RH (bottom staff) and LH (top staff) rhythms for a composite unison sound.

Small noteheads: strings of very legato, fluid notes. Apply less LH pressure; the sound can be much less articulate. This effect imitates Hindustani ornamentation.

B 1/4-tone b on C string (IV) as a naturally-occuring harmonic. Approximate tuning: -31 cents. ii

Program Notes The meaning behind these loving gestures is very intentional for me as a cellist. After experiencing performance injuries a few years ago, it's a challenging emotional and physical journey to come back to a state of comfort while playing.

In 2009, I began learning a piece of choreography by my Guru Ranjanaa Devi, called "Sabori". It was an Oriya setting of a part of a collection of esoteric poetry called "Charyapada", Songs of Realization, of the 8th-12th Centuries, in Odisha, India. As I later learned, this was a fascinating moment in the religious and cultural history of the region, dominated by Buddhist Tantrism and tribal religions. The characters who appear in Sabarapada, the poem I have spent these 10 years puzzling over, reflect this cultural diversity. Without going into too much detail about the poem (contact me if you'd like to read the 20-page research paper I wrote about it in college...), I will describe its musical incarnation here.

Many thanks to Robert Howard and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music for their tireless support and guidance. Thank you to my Guru Ranjanaa Devi for introducing me to the magic of this poetry and dance; and finally, to Robert-Christian Sanchez for delivering to me that most satisfying and fruitful of all cello positions, the cello hug.

Charyapada 28 (Songs of Realization) - Sabarapada Translation by Akshaya Avril Tucker and Hasna Jasimuddin Moudud.

"The Heart Savors its Fragrance" is my musical meditation on the Goddess Nairatmya, the embodiment of the Buddhist philosophical idea of "no self." It describes a lonely, sensuous forest atmosphere, where the Goddess wanders, and the spiritual seeker eventually unites with her.

Having grown up in a forest, I wanted to capture some of the spiritual imaginings that can happen in a place that is both so full and so empty.

Perhaps you might believe that a tree could grow all the way up to the sky within a couple magical musical phrases.

Up in tall mountain peaks, Sabari lives decked in peacock feathers a string of red gunja berries, on her neck O wild, mad Sabara, Stop your useless, heart-wrenching cries for your own is the Goddess of Innate, blissful Beauty.

The name "The Heart Savors its Fragrance" refers to the metaphor used to describe the heart and our capacity to feel. This metaphor is paan, a street food made of betel leaves with various flavors inside, which is still enjoyed in South Asia today. In Medieval poetry, lovers wrapped paan lovingly in antipation of the arrival of their beloved. To me, this idea that the heart can enjoy (or eat) the fragrant essence within it -- that is to say, love -- points to the endless well of spiritual bliss inside us, a vast, encompassing aroma that far exceeds the scope of our loneliness.

The tree grew, and flowered, the branch brushed the sky.

Sabari’s ears hang with the weight of her earrings, she grasps the sacred thunderbolt, Vajra and wanders alone, in the forest.

The bed of three metals is placed.

Sabara spreads the sheets with delight the lover, Sabara, and Sabari, the beloved, caress until morning.

The heart, a betel leaf, savors the fragrant camphor wrapped inside.

Embracing the Void in his neck, Sabara passes the rapturous night.

In Odissi dance, we tell stories using the power of gesture and intention. I wanted to bring this choreographic magic to the cello -- my first instrument. For a piece that sits prominently on the open strings (A, D, G, C) -- notes that a beginner spends a bit of time on -- unusual techniques happen frequently enough to keep the performer on their toes.

Some of those "techniques" involve gestures of love: embracing the cello as a part of oneself. (Even placing necklaces and earrings upon it, as I would to my own body, gesturally, through dance).

Consider the Guru’s words as your bow, and with your mind as the arrow, Pierce through Nirvana in one try.

iii

iv

The Heart Savors its Fragrance for Solo Violoncello Vilambit (very slow, meditative) Akshaya Avril Tucker

on bridge

bow behind bridge, dampen string w/ LH (reaching over the bow)

s.p.

m.s.p.

≤ II ± ? Y

II r # O gentle touch ˙

1

≥o Y

( )

˙

ppp

r #O

r O ˙

r #O

r O

˙

r O

r O

r O ,

˙

p

sim. behind bridge, dampen string

pp

m.s.p.

on bridge

r s.p. #O ˙

r #O

±≤ ? Y

2

( )

≥o Y

˙

˙

r O

r O

#O

O

O ,

œ ˙

œ ˙

œ

ppp p pp

poco accel. behind bridge, dampen string

s.p. restez II

, Oj

#O

3

≤ ? Y±

o Y

˙

ppp

Oj # ~

O

œ

œ

#O w

œ J

O ˙œ J

OO O ˙

#O

OO O O ˙

OO O O œ

OO O O œ

OO O O œ

œ

p mp

Again, slow m.s.p.

s.p.

ord. on bridge I II

4

r* O #O

r OO

? w

r O #O

r OO

r OO

r OO

, I

≤ Y

w

~ w

sub pp p ppp * Rock bow up to I+II, then back to II; sustain II as possible. © 2019 Lilac Point Press

poco s.p.

I II

behind bridge, dampen string

~ w

5

? w≤

, p

II

# ~O

±≤ Y

OO

O # OO

OO

O O

B

Y ˙ o

ppp

pp

œ

œ p

pp

> L.H. under bridge & restez m.s.p.

poco s.p. s.p.

6

II

~O # B

I

# OO

OO

OO O O

O

˙

œ

## ~~~

~ #O

œ

pp

OO O

## ~~~ ~

on bridge II

Scrape bow down vertically

o Y

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~

~~~~

œ

p pp

mf

A

,

Necklace (Uneven, continuous tapping)

7

...body towards L rib

tap bridge

° LH

j / ¿

j ¿

j ¿

j ¿

j ¿

j ¿

j ¿

...along rib towards neck

...up neck (L side)

j ¿

ppp pp bow o on bridge ?

Y RH ¢

bow freely, slowly

pp

... down top of fingerboard, touching random harmonics

poco s.p.

...up, around scroll 8

° ?

/

,

>

o¯ ¯ ¿ J

##~~~~

&I II

mp s.p. m.s.p.

c

? ¢ p 2

~~

/

tap bridge (tremolo with fingers 1,2,3) 9

...body towards L rib

...up neck (L side)

...along rib towards neck

° / ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿

LH

ppp pp bow on bridge RH

? Y ¢ bow freely pp

... down the strings, touching random harmonics >

...up, around scroll 10

° ?

/ LH

o¯¯ ¿ R

poco s.p. s.t.

I II

I

# ~~ # B

## ~~~

II

# OO O

#O ~

&

w

œ

O

j j #O O #O O

,

U ~ #~

/

p mf

ppp

m.s.p.

RH

? c

¢ p

Decked in Peacock Feathers (with Extreme Delicacy) Swish knuckles (or hand) on L rib (like wiping chalk off a blackboard)

s.p.

II

11

,

smooth

° LH

U / Œ

#~ ?

? ?

? ? ? ?

B

O /

? ? ?

w p

down

up down

up down up

down up

pp

up mp

bow on bridge To RH

? Y± ¢

c Y 3

pp

Draw hand across cello to fingerboard >

Swish fingers along the Right front body of the instrument 12

° LH

?

Poco accel.

?

‰ V

/ Œ

V

V

B

¿ V

? down

?

V

up

** "the branch brushed p

the

sky"

m.s.p.

c ? wo RH ¢

s.p.

‰ œ

œ

œ

œ

œ

œ ææ

sostenuto pp ** Mentally say these words, and play the rhythm that you hear. When repeating, keep altering the way you "play" the words. Align the RH and LH rhythms.

Poco Rit.

b,

II

U ~~

13

B #~

~

#‚‚

‚‚

‚

‚ ‚

?

w

w

œ pp

mp

B

Same, slow pace as before (Innate, Blissful Goddess)

r* IO

ord.

14 II

¯¯ ? œo J

II

#~~

gliss.

r O

r O

I

r # OO #~

o w

~

B

II

r # OO o œ R

r #~ # OO

r OO

o , œ & R

w

p shimmering mp

mf mp

Meno & accel 15

I II

mf

A tempo

,

& #~~

# OO B ~~

# OOO O OO

OOO O OO

OOO O

# OOO O OO

OOO O OO

OOO O &

˙ o

œ o

œ o

œ o

p mp n n

*Rock between strings, sustaining tremolo as possible 4

œ o

I II

16

I

& #OO~

O

OO

OO

O

~ #~

OO

~ #~

~~

pp cresc. poco a poco

~ ~

~ #~

~ w ¯

I II

, 17

I

w~¯

w w¯ ¯

I

II

I

~ & ~

~

‚ ‚ ‚

w¯

#OO ~ II

OO

O

OO

OO

O

~ #~

~~

pp p cresc. poco a poco

mp warmly approximate harmonics (can be messy)

18

I

I

, I II

& #~~

~ w ¯

~ ~

~ #~ w w¯ ¯

II

~~

~

w~¯

~ #~

~ w

II

w ¯

I II

##~~~ p

mf

C Rising from within I 19

I

I

II

II I

‚™ & #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ™ II

I

‚‚j J

o ‚‚ ‚‚

‚‚ ‚‚ ~~

‚‚ #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚

w

p

II mp

p mp molto flautando

6

20 6

molto legato p

o œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ e ee #œ œ œ œ œ #e e e e e e e e e#e e e e e e 6

o œ # e e e e e e & #e e e e e e

7

6

œœœœœ #œ œ œ #œ œ œœ

6

mf

p

mf

5

I 21

I II

‚™ & #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ #‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ™

o j ‚‚ ‚‚ J œ

6

o œ # e e #e e e e e e e e e e

II mp

p molto flautando

œ œ #œ œ œ œ 7 #œ œ œ œ œ

6

p

mf

6

o œ e & #e e e e e e e e e #e e e e e e e e

22

6

6

œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ #œ œ œœ

e e e e e e # e e e e e e #e e e e e e 6

6

6

p

mf

23

I

B

& #O

II I #O o II ˙& ‚ ‚

I

#‚ J

p

II

#OO

II

® e e O ‚ e e e e e e e e e e OJ e e

‚ e e#e e e e#e e e e O e

#OO

II o # B O ˙

II

#OO

&

f

II II

I

24

I

II

II II

& ‚ ‚ #‚J #OO

®

O e e e

‚ e e #e e e e #e e e e O e

B #O

‚ee e e e e e e e e O e

#OO

II o ˙ & #OO

‚ ‚

sempre f

Poco a poco rit.

II I

25

I

II

II

II II

& #‚J

‚

‚

‚ J

‚

‚

‚ #‚ J

II

I

o #‚‚

#‚ #‚ J

œ mf

II

I

o

#‚‚ œ

dim. poco a poco

6

II

I

II

o #‚ #‚ J

#‚‚ œ

II

o #‚ #‚ J

#‚‚ œ

II 26

o & #‚

o

j ‚ #‚

#‚

œ

j ‚ #‚

o #‚

œ

j ‚ #‚

œ

o œ

o w

b "

# wo

wo

o o

o

o /

œ

w

w

w ppp

Tremolo tapping on body and underside of fingerboard

D The heart savors its fragrance > place hand on "cello heart" (to left of fingerboard) tap, in place, on body of cello

27 place LH on heart

° ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ LH

/

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Y æ

ppp pp s.p.

m.s.p.

o w ææ

U ∑

?

RH

¢

pppp feel love

o w w ææ

w w ææ

ppp

pp

p

align RH and LH 28

rit., phase out of alignment

°

Y / Y

∑ mf

? w ¢ wææ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ p

29

Let LH relax at your side

> return hand to your heart

° / Accel.

Rit. s.p. sostenuto

m.s.p.

œ

œ

Ϫ

œ

œ

"the pp

branch

brushed

the

sky"

sul III: scrape bow up string vertically

~~~~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ & ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

? ‰ ¢ p 7

pp

E 30

She wanders in this forest alone

° ?

LH

/ Molto sul tasto!

Bow on these nodes: Hold ad lib.

RH

II ! ¢&III ! pp static; simmer without expression

F

Faster!

O wild Sabara, O mad Sabara

+o j œœ

+o œ

+o œœ

sfz

sfz

sfz

31

°?

LH

+o >œ

+o œœ > sfz

!! ææ

¢&

increasing intensity mp

+o >œ

32

°?

+o >œ

+o >œ

+o >œ

+o >œ

+o >œ

+ >œo œœ J f III II I

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 > 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

!! & ¢ æ æ

6

6

6

6

fast, messy

+o °? œj >œ

+o œ

33

+o j œ ‰

+o œ J

‰

p cresc.

!! & ¢ ææ 8

+o >œ

+o œ

+o >œ

+o +o œ> œ

+o +o œ> œ ‰

∏∏∏∏

RH

+o j œœ >

+o > °? œœ œJ 34

+o j œ>

+ >œo J

pp f sim.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 >1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ¢& 1 6

6

6

+ °? oj >œ

+o >œ J

+o j œ>

6

+o >œ J

35

+o >œ J

1 1 1 æ 1 1 1 >æ!

>! ææ

6

+o >œ œœ J

subito f I

!> ææ

ææ & ¢ >!

III

II

ææ >!

!> ææ

!> ææ

get crazier! (merge into next cell)

1 1 1 >1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

+ j œœ >

36

°?

+ œœ >

1 1 1 1 1 1

6

6

+ + + j +r >œ œœ ‰ ‰ œœ ≈ œ œœ J > >

œ+ J

œ+ œ+ J J

f I II IV III II

>1 1

>1 1 1 >1 1 1 1 ¢& 1

3 3 >1 >1 >1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

sim.

37 °? œ+ œ+

+ œœo

+ œœo

+ + + œo œo œo J

+ + œo œo

+ œo J

+ + œo œo

+ + œo œo

+ œo J

+ + œo œo

+ œo J

B

ff

>1 1 ¢&

>1 1 1 1 1 1 9

>1 >1 >1 >1 To 1 1 1 1 c

38

ord.

II I

I II

sim.

n‚ B Bœ nœo Bœ nœo Bœ nœo Bœ nœo

‚

‚

n‚ o o o o Bœ nœ Bœ nœ Bœ nœ Bœ nœ

‚

‚

‚ ‚

f tumultuous!

m.s.p.

39

I II

n‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ o B Bœ nœo Bœ nœo Bœ nœo Bœ nœ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚

~

O

o gliss.

?

O w

& gliss.

n w~

w

f

Passes the night in bliss!

G 40

IV ord.

r O

r O

r O

r O

r O

r O

r r r rr O O O OO

r O

? w

˙

˙

˙

˙

˙

ff bow freely f

III IV 41

~

O

sim.

O O

O O

~

O

O

O O

O

O O

? w

æ ˙æ

˙

˙

w >

˙

˙ ff

ff ecstatic

IV III II III IV III II III

‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ B‚ ‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ B ‚ ? œ œ œ œ œ

42

O O O ˙

˙

mp ff

10

~

O O O w >

O O O ˙

IV III II III

IV III

‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ ‚ ‚ o ‚ B‚ o o ‚ ‚ o o ‚ ‚ o o ‚ ‚ o o ‚ B‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ B‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ B ‚ ? œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ

43

fp

r O

III IV 44

‚ ‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚‚

r r r r r r O O OOOO

r O

r O

r O

III IV

O O O

O O O

O O O

? ˙

˙

˙

˙

˙

f ff

H Three Metals 45

U ∑

?

III IV

ord.

B~ * ~

~ ~

f

pp

ord.

~~ p

B~ * ~

~ ~

f

pp

~~ p

*1/2 LH pressure

ord.

46

*

? BOO

O O

BO O

O O

O O

BO O

~ ~

~~ p

pp mf

,

ord.

47

? ~~ pp

~* ~

~~

~ ~ ææ

p f

11

/

The heart is a betel leaf... align trem's trem. tap on body and 48 LH to cello heart underside of fingerboard

°

slowly move out of phase...

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿

Y

Y

Y

Y

/

LH

mf f s.p.

?

RH

¢

ææo w w

ææ w w

f

49

> place hand on your own heart

tap in place on body of cello

rest hand on "cello heart"

° / ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿

¿

¿

¿

¿ J

mp

‰ pp feel love

p

c

m.s.p.

¢

? ææ w w Very slow!

Pierce through Nirvana in one try

I , 50

ææ w w

sul IV al fine ord. j œ g liss .

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

LH: in one motion, move up, palm briefly over your eyes, then forehead, around your head (as if purifying), make a small circle (with your forearm) out to the left side and back to the neck of the cello.

(Eyes closed or looking down.)

¯

o

?

˙™

w

pp look within

51

o ùœ

?

Bù‚o

o œ ù

o œ ù

Uo ù˙

˙ n ppp

12