Book of the Lake for voice and ensemble
Daniel Thomas Davis
Text
adapted from the ancient papyrus known as the "Book of the Faiyum" (ca. 330-350)
free translation from Demotic, through Greek, by M.F. Nichols (2013)
Instrumentation
3 Flutes (Flute 3 = Piccolo)
alternate fingerings and tuning required (see Movement 2 and 3 instructions)
Violin Contrabass
Low Treble Voice
(also plays small cymbal)
Percussion
4 Crotales (mounted together)
Small Tambourine (with head)
Castanets (machine-style)
Sizzle Cymbal
Large Rototom or Tom-Tom Vibraslap
Sistrum (or other metallic rattle)
China Cymbal (shared by vocalist & percussionist)
Electric Harpsichord
Amplified or Digital Harpischord preferred
DURATION:
ca. 18 minutes
by the Walters Art Museum of Baltimore Book of
the Lake
I. Sunrise at Crocodilopolis
Daniel Thomas Davis (2014)
"Book of
Faiyum" (ca. 330-50), trans. M.F. Nichols (2013) commissioned
Fl. 2: Pull out headjoint to lower pitch by 1/4 tone. Sounds 1/4 tone lower than written. Shades Flute 1.
Naos of Neith, By Her Sacred Tree
Fl. 3: Pull out headjoint to lower pitch by 1/4 tone. Sounds 1/4 tone lower than written, one semitone higher, than Fl. 2. Shades Flute 1.
HAND PERCUSSION
1: Tambourine (mounted/on table)
2: Sizzle Cymbal (with hands)
3: Castanets (mounted) 3. 1.
mp play as many of these harmonics as possible, but omit any that prove especially problematic
Wind Sounds: Blow through flute with no clear pitch.
Wind Sounds: Blow through flute with no clear pitch.
Flute 1: For this movement, alternate fingerings for these pitches are needed. Here are two possible fingerings:
Flute 2:
Pulled-out headjoint, as before.
Flute 3:
Return to standard tuning.
MALLETS:
1 or 2 soft mallets for Rototom Roll 1 or 2 soft mallets for Cymbal Roll ROTOTOM
Sizzle CYMBAL
