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