TheWillowTree EllisLudwig-Leone
withtextbyKarenRussell foryoungtreblevoices,viola,piano,andpercussion 12'30"
CommissionedbyBrooklynYouthChorus DianneBerkunMenaker,ArtisticDirector
ProgramNote:
KarenandIwereinterestedincreatinganewmythwithcontemporaryresonancethatwould speaktotheexperienceofpeoplecomingofageinthelastfewyears.Wespokewiththemembers ofBrooklynYouthChorusabouttheirrecentexperiencesgrowingupandmakingmusicintheshadow ofthepandemic
Oneofthethemesthatkeptcomingupwasisolation thechorushavingonlyrecentlyreconvenedafter thepandemickeptthemfrommeetinginpersonAnotherthemewasadesiretoreconnectwithnature, andthegroundingimpactthenaturalworldcanhaveforsomeonegrowingupinanurbansetting
Incorporatingtheirinput,KarenandIimaginedastoryaboutayoungpersonwho,duringaseasonofisolation, knocksonthewoodofatreeinapublicpark,accidentallyawakeningacenturies-olddryad(Themodernday superstitionof“knockingonwood”isrootedinGreekmythology thepracticebeganasanappealtothe godsofnatureforhelp)
Thedryad’svoicebeginsinwhispers,graduallygrowinginconfidenceuntiltheentirechorusissingingin fullvoice.Meanwhilethewoody,restlesssoundoftheviolaevokesstruggleinsideacasingofbark.
Ihavealwaysbeeninterestedinmythsandfairytales,wherewondercanturntoterrorwithatrickofthelight Itriedtoevokethisfeelinginthemusic,withmajortonalitiesunexpectedlyslippingtominor,and sing-songmelodiestwistingintognarledroots
PerformanceNote:
ThispieceincorporatespercussiveelementsfromthesingersWhereindicated,singersshould pattheirthighs,clap,stomp,andsnaptomakepercussivetexturesThisisnotatedonasingleline staffbeneatheachvocalpart,andshouldbeperformedsimultaneouslywiththevocallineAllsingers inasectionareexpectedtocontribute,unlessotherwisenotated
Insomecasesofdivisi,vocalpartsaresplitintotwovoicesandnotatedonmultiplestaves, designatedinboldasSoprano1A,Soprano1B,etc
TherearefourSoloparts,notatedontwostavesabovetheSopranolineThesesingersshould returntotheirregularvocalpartsoncetheirsololinesend
PercussionInstructions:
Triangle-hungfromtrianglemountandplayedwithametalbeater FloorTom-preferably18"orlarger,playedwithwoodoryarnsticks. SandpaperBlocks-twohardwoodenblockscoveredinalayerofsandpaper OneshouldbemountedandonefreeThesecanbeclapped,rubbedtogether,andhitwithsticks WoodBlocks-twoblocksofdifferentpitch,mountedandplayedwithyarnsticks.
Iaknockonwood
Thegirlwholivesin7B
Text: byKarenRussell incorporatinginterviewswithBrooklynYouthChorus
Turnedherfloorboardsintooars
Whilesomekidslearnedtofloat Ilearnedtofreeze
Inthewinterofourisolation
Isatinvisiblyinthepark
Beneaththeboughsofawillowtree Andturnedtoknockonitstrunk
Isleptforagesbeforetheknockingwokeme Anonymousinanewcentury Humansrushingpastthetrees Ourbodies,theirscenery Iheardachilddrummingagainstmytrunk Beseechingmeforsanctuary
Placingmyhandagainstthetrunk, Ifeltaheartbeatquiveringundertheoldbark Myfistrelaxedandspreadintoapalm AndIwhisperedawish
“Weepingwillow,”theycallme Asifsorrowisallthattheysee Inthetumultofmyliving Winterdeceiveshumaneyes Theyseeabranchingskeleton Stillasdeath,lockedunderice
Iwishedtobeemptiedoffeeling Tofloatoffwiththesnow Givemenowater,nosoil,noroomtogrow Makemehollowasatree Ohwillow,makemehollowasatree
Somekidslearnedtofloat Ilearnedtofreeze Noonehearsme,noonesees Ohwillow,makemehollowasatree
Somekidslearnedtofloat WhileIlearnedtofreeze Iwishtobeemptiedoffeeling Ohwillow,makemehollowasatree
Nogreendreamsbutaprayerforblanketingsnow Whathashappenedtothischild, Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend? Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring
Withsnow-heapedboughs,thedryadnodded Withcracklingforce,thedryadspoke Asifhervoicewasbreakingthroughtheice
Child,wintercanfeelendless Untilthethawarrives Ifyouhaveneverseenanythingdieandreturn Youonlyknowhalfofthesong
Ohwillow,makemehollowasatree
IIthaw
Butthewillowwouldgrantmeadifferentwish Springwasmysecondmetamorphosis: Sunstruck,astonished Myvoicebegantothaw
Roottocrown,Ishiveredoutward Buddingathousandgreentongues AndIwasnottheonlyone
Anavalancheonlyseemsspontaneous Thechangewasbuildingallwinterlong Wedrinktheicethatimprisonsus Weturnthecoldintofood Transformtheearththatburiesus Intodagger-brightleaves
Atreeisnotacasket Winterisnotatomb Thegreendooropens: Webloom
Isleptforcenturiesandthen Withwater,soil,androomtogrow Awildernessarose
Andnewboughsreplacetheold Andthestorychangesform Newlightsurgesthroughtheforest Thisisourmetamorphosis
whispered,barelyaudible:
Dryad:"Isleptforagesbeforetheknockingwokeme" "Anonymousinanewcentury" "Humansrushingpastthetrees"
whispered,barelyaudible:
Dryad:"Isleptforagesbeforetheknockingwokeme" "Anonymousinanewcentury"
whispered,barelyaudible:
Dryad:"Isleptforagesbeforetheknockingwokeme" "Anonymousinanewcentury"
"Inthetumultofmyliving" "Winterdeceiveshumaneyes" "Theyseeabranchingskeleton" "Stillasdeath,lockedunderice"
"Inthetumultofmyliving" "Winterdeceiveshumaneyes" "Theyseeabranchingskeleton" "Stillasdeath,lockedunderice"
"Inthetumultofmyliving" "Winterdeceiveshumaneyes" "Theyseeabranchingskeleton" "Stillasdeath,lockedunderice"
unis. Dryad:"Nogreendreamsbutaprayerforblanketingsnow"
whispered: "whathashappenedtothischild"
AllSoprano1s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
unis. Dryad:"Nogreendreamsbutaprayerforblanketingsnow"
whispered: "whathashappenedtothischild"
Dryad:"Nogreendreamsbutaprayerforblanketingsnow"
whispered: "whathashappenedtothischild"
whispered: "whathashappenedtothischild"
Dryad:"Nogreendreamsbutaprayerforblanketingsnow"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?" "Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent" "Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?"
"Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent" "Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?" "Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent" "Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?" "Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent" "Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
"whathashappenedtothischild"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?"
"whathashappenedtothischild"
"Numblyresignedtoawinterwithoutend?" / pattinggetsslightlylouder
AllAlto2s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
stillwhispered,louder
"Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent"
"Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
stillwhispered,louder
"Youwhobelievethatwinterispermanent"
"Tooyoungtoanticipatethethawofspring"
AllAlto1s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
AllSoprano1s handsonthighs eventremolo
AllSoprano2s handsonthighs eventremolo
AllAlto1s: handsonthighs eventremolo
AllAlto2s: handsonthighs eventremolo
aggressivespiccatountilend extremelyoffthestring(barelyanypitch)
AllSoprano1s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquiet percussivesound
AllSoprano2s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
SingersassignedSolo1-4shouldclapwhenindicated, andthenimmediatelyreturntopattingthighs
Tappingwithbothhandsontheundersideofthekeyboard toproduceawoodyconstantpatter Everyfewmeasuresaddrandomaccents
SingersassignedSolo5-8shouldclap whenindicated,andthenimmediately returntopattingthighs Solo5
AllAlto1s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
SandpaperBlocks rubbedtogether:notfastorrhythmic, justaconstantwhisperysound
AllAlto2s: patthighs,alternatingwithbothhands tocreateorganictextureofquietpercussivesound
consord barelyanypitch
slightlymorepitch
ord moltoflautandotremolowhispers lazytremolospeedswithcresc andslowswithdim
SingersassignedSolo1-4shouldclap whenindicated,andthenimmediately returntopattingthighs
SingersassignedSolo5-8shouldclap whenindicated,andthenimmediately returntopattingthighs
Butthe willow - wouldgrantme a pocoaccel.
But p thewillow - wouldgrantme
Soprano2A simply
The p willow - wouldgrant me
(allAltoscontinuepattingthighs)
Butthewil low - wouldgrantme Butthe
Butthewillow - wouldgrantme a different - wish adifferent - wish
myvoice be-gan to thaw
myvoice began - tothaw Butthe