David Voss
The Portent -for soprano, 3 tenors, baritone and bass(STTTBarB)
(2015)
Duration: 2.5'
Š David Voss 2015 (ASCAP)
Performance Notes The Portent by Herman Melville Hanging from the beam, Slowly swaying (such the law), Gaunt the shadow on your green, Shenandoah! The cut is on the crown (Lo, John Brown), And the stabs shall heal no more. Hidden in the cap Is the anguish none can draw; So your future veils its face, Shenandoah! But the streaming beard is shown (Weird John Brown), The meteor of the war. This poem, written by author and poet Herman Melville, powerfully summarizes Melville's view that the execution of famous abolitionist John Brown in 1859 was essentially "the portent", a harbinger of the terrible violence to come in the American Civil War. In this unapologetically dark poem, reading as a prophetic proclamation to the American people, Melville recognizes that John Brown's death encapsulated the state of the union in his time: a devastating divide between the slave-owning South and the abolitionist-leaning North.
Whenever the word 'Shenandoah' appears, the word is pronounced (in IPA) as ˌʃɛnənˈda, (3 syllables) the last syllable rhyming with the word 'law', except for m. 24 where it is pronounced as it typically is:ˌʃɛnənˈdoʊə, (4 syllables). Where ever a small notehead in parentheses appears to the right of a normal-sized note, the small note is merely an enharmonic respelling of the larger, and should not be sung.
The Portent David Voss
Herman Melville
Solemn, mournful, h = 56 Soprano
° 3Ó &2
∑
pp Tenor 1
pp
3 & 2 œ œ b˙ ™ ‹ She-nan - doah,
Tenor 2
3 & 2 œ œ ˙™ ‹ She-nan - doah,
Œ œ œ b˙ ™
?3 œ œ 2
pp
˙™
Œ œ œ b˙ ™
She-nan - doah,
pp Bass
?3 ¢ 2œ œ
p
p
Oh She-nan doah,
© 2015 David Voss
3 #˙ n˙ 2
doah.
mp
Œ œ œ 47 n˙ #˙ ™ #˙ 23 She-nan - doah, She - nan -
p
˙ Œ œ œ œ b˙ Œ ˙
She-nan - doah,
mp
She-nan -
p
#˙ #˙ 23
doah.
Œ œ œ 47 ˙™
She-nan doah,
pp
mp
She-nan -
p
#˙ ˙ 3 2
doah.
Œ œ œ 47 #˙ ™
She-nan doah,
pp Baritone
p
p
3 2
mp
She-nan -
She-nan doah,
pp
∑
Œ nœ œ 47 #˙ ™
p
Œ œ œ ˙™
pp Tenor 3
p
She-nan doah,
pp
3 & 2 œ œ ˙™ ‹ She-nan - doah,
p
Œ nœ œ b˙ ™
pp
7 4
∑
mp
7 3 œ 4 ˙ #˙ ™ #˙ 2
She - nan - doah, She - nan -
pp
p
mp
4
° 3 &2
∑
4 #œ œ œ œ w 2 Hang -ing from the
p
™ 3 n w &2 ‹
4 w 2
5 2˙
beam,
o Ó
such
p
3 & 2 w™ ‹
4 w 2
o Ó
p
3 & 2 w™ ‹
4 w 2
o Ó
p
? 3 nw ™ 2
4 w 2
o Ó
doah.
doah.
4 2 w
o Ó
mp
mp
p
5 2 œ œ #œ œ w Slow -ly
2
o Ó
sway - ing,
œ œ
4 2
pp
œ œ bœ 42 gaunt the
o Ó
pp
œ œ
4 2
gaunt the
o Ó
sway - ing,
mp
pp
gaunt the
sway - ing,
œ œ 25 #œ œ w Slow -ly
p
?3 ¢ 2 nw ™
p
o Ó
sway - ing,
5 œ œ 2 #œ œ w Slow -ly
p
mp
4 2
the law,
sway - ing,
œ œ 25 #œ œ w Slow -ly
p
mp
œ œ 5 #œ œ w 2 Slow -ly
p
j #œ œ #œ ™ œ nw
pp
œ œ
4 2
gaunt the
o Ó
pp
4 2 œ œ gaunt the
p 7
° 4 & 2 œ Œ bœ œ œ
4 2œ
œ ˙
o Œ
on your green,
˙
mp
œ œ 42 #w ™ She - nan -
pp
4 & 2 bœ nœ ˙ ‹ sha - dow,
˙
4 œ œ 2 #w ™ She - nan -
˙
4 œ œ 2 w™
pp
? 4 nœ œ ˙ 2
˙
sha - dow,
œ œ 42 w™
pp
?4 ¢ 2 nœ œ ˙ sha - dow,
˙
4 œ œ 2 w™ 3
3 2
o œ bœ Œ
3 2
o œ Œ
3 2
o œ Œ
3 2
o œ Œ
3 2
doah,
mp
She - nan -
o œ bœ Œ
doah,
mp
She - nan -
doah!
doah,
mp
She - nan -
3 2
doah,
mp
pp
4 & 2 nœ œ ˙ ‹ sha - dow,
œ bœ œ œ ˙ She - nan -
pp
4 & 2 nœ œ ˙ ‹ sha - dow,
p
doah,
p
ppp
mp
9
° 3 &2 w™
4 2˙
Œ
3 œ 2 nœ bœ n˙ ™
b˙ ™ œ The cut
˙™ 3 &2 ‹ She
b˙ ™ - nan
4˙ 2 -
˙
˙
3 2 b˙
- nan
Lo,
mp
œ bœ œ 23 n˙ ™
The cut
-
bœ 23
Œ ˙
doah!
4 Œ œ b˙ ™ 2
b˙ ™
is
on the
Œ b˙
crown
3 2
Lo,
pp
4 2 nw
˙™ - nan
-
p
? 3 b˙ ™ 2
b˙
p
p
3 & 2 #˙ ™ ‹ She
on the crown
p
p
3 & 2 b˙ ™ ‹ She
is
pp
p
Π23
3 2
∑
She - nan
4˙ 2 -
3 2
˙™
Π23
˙™
Π23
doah!
p
pp
b˙ ™
∑
b˙
n˙
b˙
3 2 n˙
doah!
p pp
p
?3 ¢ 2 b˙ ™
4 2W
b˙ ™
She - nan
-
3 2 #˙
doah!
4
o 9 4
mf 12
° 3 & 2 b˙ Lo,
w
œ œ w
John
Brown
-
mp
mp
3 & 2 bw ™ ‹ John,
b˙
mf
Œ œ œ œ 49 b˙ John
3 &2 ‹
˙
˙
œ
no
b˙ 9 4œ Œ œ
œ w™
Brown,
-
9 4
∑
9 4˙
w™
Brown,
6 2
∑
p
b˙
6 2
w
John
mp
pp
˙™
œ Œ ˙
John
Brown,
no
mp
p
pp
?3 ¢ 2 bw ™
6 2
mp
∑
?3 w 2
˙™
Brown,
mf
w 3 &2 ‹ John
6 2
∑
9 4 b˙
w™
John
Brown,
5
˙™
œ Œ ˙ no
6 2
6 2
15
° 6 &2
3 2
Ú
p
6 &2 W ‹ more,
w
4 2
∑
o
p
3 2 ∑
˙ shall
mp
4 bw 2
w
heal
no
3 2 bw ™
4 w 2
3 2 ∑
Ú
b˙ Shall
p
?6 W 2
w
bœ
o
p
3 2 ∑
b˙
more,
shall
p
?6 ¢ 2 #W
w
w
7 4
more.
mp
p
6 &2 ‹
7 4
p
pp 3 j‰ 6 ˙ œ b œ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ ˙™ &2 ‹ and the stabs shall heal no
7 4
Ú
bœ
more,
o
p
3 2 ∑
b˙ shall
6
4 bw 2
bw
heal
no
7 4
mp
4 bw 2
bw
heal
no
7 4
mp
4 2 bw
7 4 bw
heal
no
o Ó
p
18
° 7Ó &4
b˙
U ˙™
4w 2
Oh,
p
pp
bœ bœ Is
U ˙™
7 & 4 bw ‹ more.
mp
o Ó
4w 2
j ‰ Œ b˙ 7 œ &4 ‹ Oh,
U ˙™
o Ó
4w 2
the
mp
bœ bœ Is
p
9 4
9 4
the
mp
bœ
œ
Is
the
9 4
p p 3
7 & 4 bw ‹ more.
U œ Ó
4 œ œ œ bœ œ w 2 Hid - den
p
? 7 bw 4
U ˙™
4w 2
in the cap,
o Ó
more.
p
?7 ¢ 4 bw
U ˙™
4 2w
more.
9 4
o Ó
mp
bœ
œ
Is
the
mp
bœ bœ Is
7
9 4
the
9 4
p
20
° 9 nœ œ ˙ ™ &4
mp
mf
Ó œ œ 47 #œ ˙™
an - guish,
so your
p
9 & 4 bœ œ ˙ ™ ‹ an - guish,
fu ture,
so your
p
mf
5 œ 4 #œ nœ ˙™
˙
fu ture,
7 4
She-nan - doah,
mp
mf
Ó œ œ 47 #œ ˙™ so your
7 4
She-nan - doah,
mp
Ó œ œ 47 #œ ˙™
™ 9 &4 œ œ ˙ ‹ an - guish,
™ 5 4 #œ œ ˙
˙™
5 4 #œ œ ˙ ™
˙™
fu ture,
7 4
She-nan - doah,
mp f
mf
bw 9 & 4 ˙ n˙ œ ‹ none can draw, p
?9 œ ˙ 4
face,
mp
so your
p
an - guish,
œ œbœ 5 ˙ 4
veils its
˙™
She - nan
5 4 #œ œ ˙ ™
fu ture,
She-nan - doah,
mp
mf
Ó œ nœ 47 #œ ˙™ so your
™ Œ bœ œ œ 47
mf
Ó œ œ 47 #œ ˙™
˙
an - guish,
?9 ¢ 4 nœ œ ˙ ™
7 œ Œ bœ ˙ 4
˙™
fu ture,
8
5 4 #œ œ ˙ ™ She-nan - doah,
7 4
7 4
ff 23
° 7 Ó™ &4
˙ She
4 >œ bœ ™ œ w ™ 2
˙ -
nan
-
do - ah!
mp
ff
7 & 4 Ó™ ‹
n˙ She
4 >œ œ™ œ ˙ 2
b˙ -
nan
-
b˙
˙
do - ah!
mf
ff
3
7 & 4 Ó™ ‹
n˙ She
4 œ bœ ™ œ Œ #œ œ 2> #œ
˙ -
nan
-
do - ah!
œ™ #œ nœ J
œ
But the stream - ing beard
is
mp
>˙ ™ 7 b &4 ‹ doah!
4 ˙™ 2
w
Œ
mp
ff
? 7 Ó™ 4
˙ She
∑
4 >œ bœ ™ ˙ ™ 2
˙ -
nan
-
n˙
b˙
do - ah!
mf
ff
3
? 7 Ó™ ¢ 4
b˙ She
4 2 b œ b œ ™ œ w #œ >
b˙ -
nan
-
do - ah!
9
Œ #œ nœ But the
f
25
p
° ˙ &
Ó
6 2∑
∑
∑
Ó
b˙
4 2
the
p mf
& b˙ ‹
˙
b˙
6 œ™ bœj 2 bœ Œ b˙ John
b˙
b˙
b˙
4 b ˙ #œ 2
Brown,
f mp
& b˙ ‹ shown,
Ó
b˙ Weird
mf
f
˙™ j ™ b œ 6 b œ œ™ bœ 2 œ bœ J John
Brown,
John
œ œ Œ ˙
Brown,
4 2
the
p
& ∑ ‹
Ó
b˙ John
6 2 b˙
b˙ ™
œ b˙
b˙
4 2
#˙
#˙
4 2
Brown,
mf
? nw
n˙
p
#˙
Ó
6 2Ó
˙ John
#˙
Brown,
p
f
? #œ ™ #œ nœ œ #œ Œ ¢ #˙ J stream-ing beard is shown,
#˙
John
6 2 #˙ Brown,
10
˙
#˙
#˙
#˙
4 2 #˙
Faster, h = 76 rit. ff 27
, ° 4 bœ ™ &2 me
-
œ œ J
bœ
te - or
of
œ
3 ™ 2 bw
˙™ the
war!
f
4 &2 w ‹
3 2∑
nw
œ
œ
She - nan -
ff
,
4 bœ ™ &2 ‹ me
-
œ œ J
bœ
te - or
of
œ
˙™ the
3 ™ 2 bw war!
f
4 & 2 bw ‹
3 2∑
nw
œ
œ
She - nan -
f
?4 w 2
3 2∑
nw
œ
œ
She - nan -
f
?4 ¢ 2w
3 2∑ nw
œ
œ
She - nan -
11
molto rit. 29
° w™ &
7 ™ 4˙
U 4W 2
w
f
& bw ‹ doah,
nœ
ff
œ
She - nan -
™ & w ‹
7 ™ 4 #˙ doah,
She
7 ™ 4˙
U # W 4 2
#˙
#˙ -
˙
nan
-
U 4W 2
n˙
ff
f
& w ‹ doah,
œ
œ
She - nan -
7 4 ˙™
˙
#˙
doah,
She
U 4 #W 2
-
nan
-
f
? bw
œ
doah,
¢
œ
She - nan -
doah,
œ Oh
doah!
ff
7 4 n˙ ™ doah,
She
U 4 #W 2
˙
#˙ -
nan
-
f
? b˙ ™
doah!
doah!
ff
œ
œ
She - nan -
7 4 ˙™
b˙
doah,
She
12
U 4 #W 2
˙ -
nan
-
doah!