Starfish at Pescadero

Starfish at Pescadero cycle of six songs for soprano, viola, harp, and percussion

Texts by Idris Anderson

Dennis Tobenski

3

STARFISH AT PESCADERO 1

2

I have not loved you in all seasons, only this one, summer turning gold into autumn

Cliffs and coves are also gold, sandstone shaped by oceanic motion.

Days like this

and the California coast we love stretches long as usual in a mist, even longer

or storms’ relentless weight carves the heaviest spaces of earth.

Rock shifts, sanddrifts

in a bright day like this one, water unfurling like silk shimmering along chalk cliffs, the sky and sea lapis a white edge curled farther North like fur.

Every line in the landscape is hard with clarity and whatever this is is hard with clarity. Teach me.

Tell me. I am listening like a morning bird of the marshes hidden among dry brown grasses.

You cannot see me loving you

mound or cave into new rock pools, sea anemones open and close, all life undulates fragility.

You find unfastened a purple-red starfish washing in the tidal slip and lift it up for me.

Ink-red patterns on its spiney back like birdprints, ancient hieroglyphs I want to deciper.

Slowly a lyric voice begins from relief on the back of the beautiful starfish: lambda, lambda, lambda, strings of Greek syllables I would sing for you in an optative mood.

Text copyright Š Idris Anderson. All rights reserved.

Used with permission.

4

3

4

And the hills over which we have driven to beaches at San Gregorio, at Pescadero are clean, gold

I’m being silly on our walk up the beach with objects I’ve found at the edge of the surf.

sensuous with shadows, waves of wind in tall grasses, outcroppings, glacial erratics,

A dry stalk of kelp my baseball bat, and here’s a baseball, one flap undone, wet and wobbly in white air,

miles of hills and shadows of clouds on hills like the shadows of our bodies lying down.

and a light bulb from a yacht off-shore brassy in my mouth.

You take a photograph

We have chosen to be at home here where nothing's more beautiful than this, where we are.

of me, with bulb, with ball, with bat, ready to strike.

Me on the beach at Pescadero, I am throwing the ball up for your photograph to remember me.

5

5

6

I reach in to the tidal pool to unfasten a starfish, its five points tight around

Down Pescadero beach we climb a bluff for a view of the lighthouse at Pigeon Point,

the ragged end of black rock, its purple-red like the purple-red of our starfish,

We walk the edge of the high bluff between the green field and the wild Pacific.

unpolished ruby on a jeweler’s velvet black.

I claw at its edges. Nothing loosens.

Water ripples late light

and there—steady, straight, and white— is the lighthouse,

around my cold fingers delicately prying the edges of starfish.

The nail of my middle finger ripped and bleeding, I stand by the pool and suck thin blood clean from the wound and see in my watery shadow the starfish not letting go.

A living starfish will not let go.

We will come again, you say, to Pescadero and colors of the sea will be different, new animals in old rock pools, seawinds pushing our hair.

We don’t speak of what we know. Something like knowledge washes over us like a wave.

its automated beam like a laser stroking us indifferently issuing warning.

When I turn to look at you, it is coldly measuring the distances between us.

commissioned by Percussia

premiered 10 November 2007 Langston Hughes Library Corona, NY Melissa Fogarty, soprano Lev Zhurbin, viola Susan Jolles, harp Ingrid Gordon, percussion

9

for Melissa Fogarty and Ingrid Gordon

Starfish at Pescadero A cycle of six songs for soprano, viola, percussion, and harp 1. I have not loved you in all seasons

Idris Anderson

 

1 Soprano

Viola

Vibraphone

q = 80 Fluidly



   

 q = 80 Fluidly



  













  

 





 



 

3

3

   

   

DENNIS TOBENSKI (2007)

 



 

 

        

3



Harp

      

5 S.

3



 have

Vla.

Vib.

 



 



 





 

  



5

3

 not

loved

    





you

  in

  pp

 

3







all

  



sea - sons,

 

 

  





 3



 

p 3

 



p





Copyright © 2008 Dennis Tobenski.

Text copyright © Idris Anderson. Used with permission.



5





on - ly

 

 

Hp.

 

3

 

    





 

       

3





   

 



I

3

   







    

10 S.

f

      

8

3





 



this one,

Sum

    3

-

3

3





mer

  



turn - ing

Vib.



in - to

   

        3



3

mp

mf

3

  



     





  





  



   



 

  



  



  

 

Hp.

 



arco



Vla.

 



gold

pizz.

 

3





    

3



   

11 S.



au Vla.

   

pp

Perc.

Vib.

rit.

3



-







tumn.

 3

  

 

f



 

rit.

  

  

A tempo

      

And the

 

 



3





Ca - li - for - nia

mf









love







  



3

pp

 

we

  

cym.

A tempo

 

 

coast

   







3

3

    mf

  

Hp.

 



 



 

 

13 S.

 

 

3

stretch - es long Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

3

  





 

in

a

mist

 

pp

   

long er

on a

 



   

tom-t.



11

3

3

e - ven

 



  

          

      3

as u - sual

f

3

mp

p

 

mp

pp

 

 



 



 

 









 









Hp.

 S.

3

  

15



bright

Vla.

 

 

mf Tri.

Perc.

Vib.

     

day





 

3

3

like

 

 

 

3

 



molto rit.

3





this





one,



3

 3







  



    

 

p sub.



 molto rit.



 









 

mp



 





 





Hp.

12

q = 60

              

16 S.

wa - ter un - furl - ing like

Vla.

3

3

shim - mer - ing

a -

7

silk

   



q = 80



long

   



pizz.



 



chalk

cliffs.

3





3

    The





3

mf

Vib.



q = 80

q = 60







pp

 



 











 



Hp.



 18 S.

 



sky

Vla.

Vib.



5



and

sea



la -

 

mp





  

3



 pis,







q = 100

 







q = 100

 











a

white

edge

















Hp.



















   

20 S.

   

curled Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

far - ther North

 

  

 like



3



arco 

 

fur.

 





 



  

mf

 







 









 









 



q = 80





3

 



 





mp

 



 



 

pp

  

13

q = 80

3

   



3





 







 















Hp.

  

23 S.

 3

Vla.

Vib.

     

Hp.

 

 

 

 

    f







              

 





 

 







  

  

             3

E - very line

3

3

3

in the

land - scape



 

 



is

  

  

bisbigliando

   

   



   



   





14

  

26 S.

        

3



hard

Vla.



    pp

Vib.

with



cla - ri - ty

     

    

3

5

and

















    

what - e - ver this

 

3

    

 

 



is

is

 

  









 





Hp.

   





 q = 40

S.

 



hard

Vla.



with



pizz.



mf

    







  

ff



cla - ri - ty.



  

   3

Teach arco



  f

3

  



q = 40

Vib.

 

 



 



 



  

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

Hp.



 

3       

me.

        

 

  

Tel



   is gl

 s. 

gl iss .

28

 

   



  

 

31 S.



     me.

      

Hp.



 

  



f

 

s.  lis  g 





       



3

3

         

Vla.











3

f



 

   

 

 

 











3





   







You can - not seeme

 

 

 



   

sfp



  

3

   





lov - ing you.

      pizz.

 

   

Hp.



   

 

3                     

  

  

3

3

      p

Vib.

       

3

3

hid den a mong dry brown grass - es.

  

of the marsh - es

           

3

 



3

morn - ing bird

 

 

 

f

34 S.

      



  

like a

 q = 80

  

     

3

3

am lis - ten - ing



s.

Vib.

  

   

15

3      3              

I

gli s

Vla.

q = 80

3

3







 

  





3

    









 



 short pause



16

2. Cliffs and coves are also gold

Idris Anderson

 

37 Soprano

Viola

Percussion

Vibraphone

q = 96

    

(Snares on)

































 



 



 



     

 

 

 

q = 96        f

  Harp







mp

 

DENNIS TOBENSKI



 





  

 





  

  

41 S.

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

 

 

 

 

  

     

Tom-t. f



  





 

 



   

 

 



Sn.          











 arco

 

Hp.

 



f

 

 

 

      



 







Copyright © 2007 Dennis Tobenski

 

                 





  







      





S.

f vibrant

        

45

Cliffs and coves are al

Vla.

Vib.

 

 



-

17

 



so gold,

sand - stone shaped by o

    

  









 



   

 -

ce - a

- nic

          

 



  

   



  

 



















Hp.

  











sinuous

   

47 S.





mo - tion.

Vla.

Perc.

  3      





Days

like

this

             





  





   



 



or

3



storms' re -lent - less weight

 

    



mf



   







































Hp.

 













































18 51 S.

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.









 

 

 



 





    









earth.

  







 







hea - vi - est pla - ces of

      

      



       

the

        



f

 

carves

              

 

















Hp.

 





54 S.

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.











 

   

















  



















                             

   







 



 







  

Sn.

        

 

                   



























 



Hp.





















  

 

declamatory

57 S.

 

 



Rock shifts,

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

  





sand - drifts

 

pizz.

Tom-t.

       

 



 



 



arco

   

      



  







    

 

 

mound or cave

in - to

new



  

           















19













Hp.

























 sinuous

60 S.

  

 

rock

Vla.

Perc.

 







 sea





 

Sn.





o - pen

 



and

close,

3             3



rim

 

p







3

3

mf











a - ne - mo - nes

ff

  



pools,



  









 



 



 















Hp.







































20 63 S.



 



3

  

 all

Vla.

Perc.

 

 

     

  

life

Toms









    







  







   

  



  

 

 



 



gi - li - ty.

 



-

        



         



un - du - lates fra

Sn.

 

 

3

    





















Hp.









































  

66 S.









 



You find

Vla.

Vib.

 





    

un - fas



  

 

tened

 a



                                                                                                    p



Hp.

                                                                                                    p

 











21 70 S.



 



pur - ple

Vla.

Vib.

Hp.



red

 

star





 



-

                

        

         



 



 









fish



     



                          

     

  

                 

     



 



     



  

73 S.



Vib.

Hp.





in

the

5:6

wash

Vla.

  -

ing

 



3



ti - dal



 



 

                

     



 

                





and







slip

     

 







      

         

      

          

22

       

  

75 S.

4

lift it up for

Vla.

Vib.

Hp.



  



me.



Ink













red



5

      

pat - terns



on its shin - y





                                                                                                                                                              









  









    

79 S.



 



back

Vla.

Vib.

Hp.

 



like



bird



  -







prints,



 an

4





-

cient



                                                                                                                                                                          











S.

5

hei - ro glyphs

Vla.



23

        

4

     

83

   



 



I want to de ci - pher.





pizz. 



   





    





p

Perc.

Vib.

Hp.







Toms.



p

                                                             







 

87 S.



sinuous

  



3



 

Slow - ly

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

a

3

    ly

-



 









                                                    







ric voice

 



3



  

 

 



be - gins

 



   

  







  



   

 





 





 

              



 

 









Hp.







 



 







 





 



 







  

24

 

90 S.





 

3

 



  3

from re - lief on

Perc.

Vib.

Hp.



  





Perc.

Vib.

Hp.

the back





of

the beau - ti - ful











                

         

                                 

                

         

 



 



  

 star

Vla.



                         

94 S.

 



-













fish:





 





 













   

   



 





 

 





                           



 



                 







 





 



 







 





 



 





               

25

97 S.

lamb - da

Vla.

Perc.

Vib.

   



   



lamb

-

lamb

















 

 





     

da







-



     

da

lamb

       arco

 



 

    





-



da

f







  







no pedal

    mf

 Hp.

f



   



  

101 S.



Vib.

 







   

     







 



mf

  





lamb - da

lamb

-

da

lamb -

da

lamb





  

-

da

    

ff

      

 

        

      

  

         

    

 

     

    

  



ff









    



 











Hp.

 





                        

lamb - da



         





lamb - da Vla.

 

 







26 104 S.



lamb

Vla.

Perc.

     









   









 



 



lamb

-

da



lamb - da pizz. 

  

  



  

 



 

p

 



p

 



 













  

effusive

           lamb

 111



-





 

  

  

  

 

 



 -

115



-

-

-



 

   



da

lamb

-

-

 



 

da



 

lamb - da

joyful, yet precise

lamb



S.

da

 

107

S.

-

 

 

 

ff

Hp.

S.

      

        





lamb - da

 



 

da







   

lamb - da



lamb - da









lamb





lamb - da

 -

 



da

   lamb - da











lamb - da lamb - da









lamb - da

  

  

lamb- da



118 S.







lamb - da

Vla.



 

 



 



lamb - da



27







 







  



 

 



 

lamb - da

  



p

Perc.

  







p



 



 





p Hp.



 





 e. = 80

Slowing to

           

120 S.

stringsofGreeksyl - la- bles

Vla.

  





        

I wouldsing for you

 

in an

 

 

op - ta- tive



  









mood.

   





 







p

Perc.

   



p

Slowing to

   

 



 

   

e. = 80







p

Hp.

   



 

   



 short pause

28

3. And the hills over which we have driven Idris Anderson

         3

122 Soprano

DENNIS TOBENSKI

Freely q = 72 f

3

      3

And the hills

Viola

   

ov - er

     

  





        

 

       

 

f

 S.

    

124

-

Vla.

Vib.

3

3  3          3

es

           

 

at San Gre go - rio,

 

 

     

     

 

      

 

  

beach



 

3





3

   

       -

 

 

        3

3

de - ro

are

 



         

3

3

3

3

 

 

 



gold

     3

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hp.

Copyright © 2007 Dennis Tobenski



clean,

         





to

 

3

at Pes





3





3

   



mf

Harp

dri - ven

3

mf



3

we have

3

Freely q = 72

Vibraphone

which

       

arco

       3



  

29

     

127 S.







 

 

3

    3

sen -suous withsha - dows,

Vla.

Vib.

          

       

3

3



  

3

3       

     

 

     

 

 

  

       3

3

3

waves of wind in tall grass es,

 



 

 

3

 

3



 





 

 

 

 

 

 

Hp.

 S.

More freely

    

130

Miles

Vla.







of

hills

and

  



3



sha - dows





of clouds



on

 



hills



like





the

 



 

      

  

 



       

  



     

    

 

More freely

Vib.

 





Hp.

30

      

132 S.

    

3

3







sha - dows of our bo - dies

Vla.

Vib.

ly

  

A tempo q = 76

  

3

  

 - ing

down.







  

3

A tempo q = 76



3

    

      

  

      

 

   

 

       

 

  

 

  

 

  







Hp.



134 S.

 



3



 



     

We have cho - sen

Vla.

   

        

             3

Vib.

 



3

3

 

   

    

to be at home here

     





     3



3

3

3

  

   



3

    

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Hp.

 

       3

137 S.

 



whereno thing's

Vla.

Vib.





3

   

 

more





beau



       -







ti - ful than this,



    



where

 

  



3

3



3     



   

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 



we

  3



  3

           



    

3



 

 

31

3

3

3

Hp.



140 S.





 

 









   

are.

Vla.

Vib.



    



  



 



    



  



3



 

 

3

   

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

Hp.





3

  

32

  

142 S.

Vla.

Vib.



 3      



   3

  

 

   3

         3

3             

 



      3







    



3

     

 

 

 

 

 



   

 

 

 

 

 



Hp.

attacca

33

4. I'm being silly on our walk up the beach Idris Anderson

Viola

q. = 72 Brash, butch





 



f

Percussion

 







                       

      f

Harp

  

 



     

152 S.

f brash



I'm

  

cym.

Perc.



 



 

 



ff

 

 









  

sil - ly

on

our

walk up

 



   





     

be - ing

sf

Vib.



    

ff

 

f





q. = 72 Brash, butch

Vibraphone

    



  

145

DENNIS TOBENSKI











pizz.











sf

 

Sn.    



fp

f

p



















 



















the beach



 

with

      



  







 

  



 



 



 

  















Hp.

Copyright © 2007 Dennis Tobenski

34

   

 





jects I've found at

the

155 S.

ob

Vla.

-

arco

  

 f

Perc.

 

 

 

  





edge of

the

 

 

  

 



  

Tri.



  

   





surf.

A

 



 

 





 



   

 

   

   



 

 Sn.

3

mf

Vib.

  

  





    

 

 157 S.

dry stalk

Vla.

       



 

of kelp

my

    

     

S.

 





 

base - ball,

Vla.

Perc.





  

 







 3  

Tom-t.

3

3

3

bat,

and

  

pizz.

 

 



  

un -

    

done,

spl.  sn.

    

 

  





wet

  

 



here's

a

       



arco

f

sn., roll



  

and

spl sym

   





     sn.

3





wob - bl - y

                         

     

wd-bl.

 

         

flap





toms



 

 

sf

one

 

 

 



 161



base - ball

3

 



   



rim

Perc.

 



 

  

    in

 



   

                3

3

3

     



166 S.

Vla.

 

 

white

 





 

 

  

       



air,

                    3           wd-bl.

Perc.

35

q = 100 (e = e)

3

     

3

3

mf

wd-bl.

   

  

 

3

   

3

mp

q = 100 (e = e)

   



  

   



  

3

 

Tri.



3

     



 

                      

  

Hp.

 

 

 

 

 





 





   

171 S.





mf in the style of a lounge singer 3

and a

Vla.

  

    



light - bulb

from a yacht

 3  3                     3



  

  

3

Perc.

     



  

   

   

 

 

  

3

  

Tri.



 

3

     

3

   



          

off

 



 



  





Hp.

    

 

 

 









36

flat

 

175 S.

   

Perc.

3

shore

-

Vla.



    



brass - y

3 3             

  



in my



            

sf

mp

    

       

     



  







 





 





 

      

 

mouth. pizz.

    

p

wd-bl.





   

      

3

                 

Tri.



Hp.

  

 

 

   

179 S.

q. = 72 (e = e)

 



 

f







  

You

Vla.

  



  



   



 

         

 

 

 

 

    

take a



arco



       

 

 

pho - to - graph



   

 



  

of

me,



  







 





f

q. = 72 (e = e)

Vib.

              f

   

  

f

 

 

     

      

          

  

     



Hp.

     

       



  

 

  

 



     

183 S.



with bulb, pizz.

Vla.

   

with ball,



  

with bat,

  

 



rea - dy to



37

strike. arco

 



                                



 



          

                                



























 

(b) 





ff

Vib.

                    

Hp.

    

189 S.

Vla.



  

  

 



      

 

q = 66 ff mock-heroic







    

Me









Hp.



 

 

 



       

 

 





p





at Pes - ca de - ro,

   

  

Vib.

5

on the beach

(non-tr.)

q = 66

     3   

 



     3   5

mf

  

     

  

 





 





 

 

 



  

 

38 192 S.



Rubato becoming more sincere

 

  

I am throw - ing up the ball

Vla.



    Rubato

Hp.

for your pho -to -

 

graph

 

3

to re mem - ber me.





   





 

    

  

 

 

 

 

     

  

 

 

 

 

     



 

 

 

 



Vib.



3       

         

 

attacca

39

5. I reach in to the tidal pool Idris Anderson q = 80 Mournful

  

195 Soprano

DENNIS TOBENSKI q = 120



 



q = 60

  



 



I

Viola

Vibraphone

     

    



q = 80 Mournful

q = 120

 

 

q = 60

         



 







  



          

  



                  

Harp









  



     

   

     

its

points tight a - round the

 q = 80 Simply 3             

199 S.

reach in



S.

to the ti - dal pool to un - fast - en

        

202

3

  



jag - ged edge of black rock,







a star - fish,

       3

its

pur - ple red

Copyright © 2007 Dennis Tobenski



five

 

    

like the

pur - ple red

3



   of

40

   

205 S.



our







star - fish,

q = 54

 

 

    

un

-

pol - ished ru - by

3          

3

3

3

on

q = 54

a

jewel

-

 

er's

  





 

 

 



  



   

 

  

 

Hp.

 S.

3

vel - vet

Vib.

  

3

        

207

black.

q = 120

 I



claw

q = 120

  

   

 





     





3

at its edg - es.

Noth

ing



 

loos - ens.

     



    

 



 

     







Hp.



  

209 S.

5  3      

Wa - ter rip - ples late

 bisbigliando (slow)

Hp.

  

 

light

 

  



a - round my

cold

  

 



  



5

 



3





fing - ers

 

 





  

(non-bis.)

  

  

 



q = 80

S.

p sweetly q = 60 3

                  

211

3

de - li - cate - ly pry - ing

the

q = 80

  

 



edg - es of star - fish.

   

  

41

       3

The nail of my mid- dle fing - er

      

q = 60

    



q = 120 f violent

q = 120

 



f harsh (with fingernails)

Hp.

      

    





 q = 80 3

ff 

214 S.

 

     3

ripped and

   

bleed - ing,

mf calming

 

        3

I

stand

q = 80



by the pool

3

  



3

and suck thin

    blood

clean

   



mf (ord.)

Hp.



   





 216 S.

 

3

    fromthewound

     bis. (slow)

    

  and

 see

           3

3

3

in my wa - ter - y

sha - dow

 the





star -

 



 

 

 rippling

Hp.



42

   

218 S.



    

- fish

not

let - ting

go.

      3

A

liv - ing star - fish

will not let



 

 





  

   







 





 

(non-bis.)

mf

     

222

  

  

3





3





 



     

         mf



  

3



 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

mf

       

225

  



3

  

       3



 

  mp

   



 

Hp.

   



 

sea

3

     

 

p sub., bittersweet

andthe co - lors of the

Vla.

3

ca - de - ro

        Hp.

S.

3

3





to Pes

           

 

3

3

We will come a - gain, you say,



go.





Vla.

  

        

    Hp.

S.



3





3





will

be

 

3

 

 

differ - ent,

 

   new



 

   



  



mp

  

3

S.

Vla.

Vib.

43

q = 60

    

228

a - ni - mals

         

q = 60

      p

Hp.

         

    

   

in

old

  

  

3

3

rock pools,

the sea- winds push - ing our













 

 







     3

hair.













 mf

  3  

231 S.



      of what we know.



3

Vla.

arco

 





Vib.

     

Hp.



  

3

mf



    3

   

  

 

3

 



3

 





3

 

wash - es





 3







      3

mf

   





3

   3

  



Some - thing likeknow - ledge

mf



 

3

5

We don't speak







 

3





44 233 S.





  

5

     o - ver us

Vla.

Vib.

 

like



   



 

  

a

q = 72

     

wave.





 



   



           



3

q = 72

  







 





      

 





 



     

 









   3

Hp.



    

S.

mp

 



        

        



                      

        

 

     

 

 

 

 

 



    

 

 

 

 

 



236











Down

Vla.

           3

Vib.

3

3

3

3

3

Hp.

45

6. Down Pescadero beach we climb Idris Anderson

q = 60

DENNIS TOBENSKI

q = 80

 3          5                

        

 











 



 

239 Soprano

3

Pes - ca - de - ro beach we climb

Viola

    



  

a bluff

for a view ofthelight - house at Pi geon

 

p q = 60

Vibraphone



q = 80

      



mp

         Harp

    









mp

p

 

 

 

 

 

Point.

  

 

 

 

 



S.

q = 72 More measured mf 3

              

242

 

We walk theedge of thehigh bluff q = 72 More measured

        Hp.



3            3

be -tween thegreen field

3

 

andthe wild Pa - ci - fic.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

  

 

 

mf

      

   

Copyright © 2007 Dennis Tobenski

46

      

245 S.



     3

   And there

Vib.

     

 S.

      

its

     



    



and white



  





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    



3        

au- to -ma- ted beam





is thelight- house,

 

   

3



        

  

    



straight,

  

        248

stea - dy,





        Hp.

  

like a la- ser

 

 







   

3

strok ing us in- dif- ferent ly





pp







3       3

Hp.



                

251 S.

3

3

is - su - ing

Vib.

Hp.





warn - ing.

     



     



    







 

When I

    

 

 

  mp



  

mp





   



 





turn



3

 

to look at

   you,



47

    

254 S.

Slowly, measured (q = 50)

  

 

     

it is cold- ly mea- sur- ing the

Vla.

Vib.

      

  

  



   



q = 60

    

Slowly, measured (q = 50)

 



q = 60

dis- tan -ces bet- ween us.

 





  





     ppp

 

  



 



 

p

    

 





  

    

p

Hp.

    





 







   

11'35"

Â

For more works by Dennis Tobenski, please visit: www.dennistobenski.com