Explaining the Sea to my Daughter

Commissioned by the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, Larry Alan Smith, President.

Recipient of the ASCAP-Lotte Lehmann Foundation Art Song Commission, 2010

Explaining the Sea to My Daughter for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano

(2010)

Music by

Eric Guinivan Poem by

Heather Dundas

Duration: 4 Minutes

Explaining the Sea to My Daughter If you were Ophelia it would drown you, Singing lovely songs, your red hair winding Poetic corkscrews around your head, Your blue eyes staring at the sun.

If you were Calypso it would trap you, Surrounding your island, your bored feet circling As you wait for a lost sailor to wash up, Your hook voice baited with lewd promise.

If you were a witch it would melt you, Screeching mad curses, your hag hands writhing Made dangerous with time and neglect Your wickedness dissolving into salt.

But you're just a girl and it's just water.

You're eleven, we're home, you're mine.

Too soon, the sea will whisper to you, then Your own boat will carry you away.

- Heather Dundas

Commissioned by the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, Larry Alan Smith, President.

Recipient of the ASCAP-Lotte Lehmann Foundation Art Song Commission, 2010

- Explaining the Sea to My Daughter Text Heather Dundas Flowing, q = 72 poco accel.



 



           

p

pp

pp

                   

5

  you



 

A Tempo

     If     p

 

f

     it would drown

p

pp





p



 



you

                 [2-2-3]

mf

  

   

7

poco rit.

                

3

were O - phe - lia

    



3

Music Eric Guinivan

poco accel.

poco rit.

 



for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano (2010)

 

  

Sing - ing love - ly songs



f

 



your red

hair

   



wind - ing



p

 Po -

               mf p                   [3-2-2]

 

Music © 2011 by Eric Guinivan - Text © 2010 by Heather Dundas Text used by permission from the author.

9

 

3

et

-

   

  



ic cork - screws

a - round your

f

p

   



 head

your

 

                 p mf                     

   

poco rit.

   blue





          

eyes

  

[2-2-3]

pp

f

11

star - ing at the



      

         

mf







sun

  



  

       



Slightly Slower, q = 66 13

poco accel.

   2

poco rit.

 

pp

p

A Tempo (q = 66)



      

[2-2-3]

                  



   

pp

      











15

poco accel.









poco rit.

pp

        

17



 

 

   









 

round- ing your is

 

  

      

 

  



      

-

  

land

 





mp 





p

     

 pp 

  





    

 

  

cir - cling

As you

dim.



 

 

mf 

 

3

  







 



 



mf

your bored feet

If

Sur -



   

 



you



   





p





  

trap

 







 

[2-2-3]

   



mf

it would





   

19

 

 



p

     

pp

       

         



 



    

p

you were Ca - lyp - so



  

3

 

 

A Tempo



    

    6

 

6 p

  3

21

 



3



wait



     

 





for

a



 

lost



  mf

 

     







up



 







  

 



25



 f





bait - ed

 



 

4





p



lor

   



    





with

lewd

 

  



6

dim.

        











hook

voice





 

     



      



wash







p



 

mp  







 



 



 

prom - ise

     

 mf



to

mp 





3

 



Your

  







    

sai -

    









p

23

 



6

 

 

     

p





 

mf q = h.

27



 









3

  

If

            6

       



            

6

     



 



ff

6

6

6

               

6

 

(both hands)

29

q = h. q. = 132

p

f

f

                  



 



you were a witch

it would melt you





                    p

(non -  )

  

34

f

mf

  

cur - ses

 





    f

your hag

 f

mf

   

screech - ing mad







p f                                         sim.   

   hands

  

   

writh - ing



 f



         p

made



dan - ger - ous with



p

                                                           

5

39

 



44



f

  



and ne - glect

your wick - ed- ness







  

dis - sol - ving

 f

mf

                                                     

    



to





     ff

48

 



salt



   ff                   

  

               

 

                

Freely, q = 60 pp

p

                     3

    

    



mf

              

and it's just wa - ter

   

 

p







But you're just a girl

6

f



f

in -



  

         mf

you're e - lev - en

  pp

       

    p



 

you're home





time

     

 

   

you're

 p

52



    

    









mine

q = 52

  

   

     

     

Too soon the sea



p

mf

3

will whis - per to

  

you

   

 

Then, your



poco rit.

 

     







Flowing, q = 72 poco rit.

poco accel.

poco rit.

55

A Tempo pp

mf

              own boat

will

            

car - ry you

       

 



[2-2-3]

 



 

mp



 

    p

                 

 

                   



 

p

mf

poco rit.

poco accel.

 



 



59

     

a - way





 

molto rit.

 

Long



 pp

     

 

 

    

 

     

 

ppp



7