The Lost Country Of Sight

THE LOST COUNTRY OF SIGHT Song Cycle for Female Voice, Cello, Piano and Percussion

Text by Neil Aitken, Music by Juhi Bansal

Duration – 12 minutes

Contact information: Email: juhibansalcomposer@gmail.com Website: www.juhibansal.com

Notes on performance for all movements: All 8th note grace notes are to be played on the beat; all 16th note grace notes are to be played before the beat.

All instruments should always make sure that the voice can be heard clearly. Play on the softer side of your dynamics as necessary.

Notes with brackets around them (usually at the start or end of a glissando) are meant to be moved through. i.e. rather than making that note clearly articulated, glide through it, giving the full duration of the rhythm to the glissando.

Voice: Do not use a lot of vibrato. Use a lyrical quality, with a variety of timbres and gestures (such as chest tone, portamento, scooping into notes, etc.) A natural, expressive quality is much preferred over a consistently beautiful tone.

Instruments Required: Piano: You will need a small glass or plastic bottle with a narrow mouth for the second movement.

Percussion: Medium Suspended Cymbal (For the second movement - 'Halfway' - you will need to attach a small paperclip or coin to the cymbal, to create a delicate sizzle effect. This can be removed quietly immediately after the movement is complete.)

Small Suspended triangle Medium tom-tom Low tom-tom (Dampen the drums as neccesary for balance.)

3 Japanese Temple Bowls (high, medium, low pitched) Mallets (for use on all instruments) : triangle beater 1 wire brush 2 medium yarn mallets (for toms and cymbal) 2 soft mallets (for sizzle cymbal) 2 timbale sticks When drums, cymbals, or triangle are called for, the notation will be as follows: Using the back of the mallet or stick is indicated by an x on the note stem:

On suspended cymbal and drums, a scrape will be indicated by . A circular scrape means to run the brush or beater in circles around the surface of the cymbal or drum for the full duration of the written note, creating a continuous sound.

Kite Flying Late summer, when the winds blew hard, I would blend into the sand, while my father stood at the edge of the beach. Watching the kite rise against dark pines, the line which tethered it to his hands, became invisible in the half-light of dusk.

How it pulled heavenward, falling then rising again, always beyond reach. And he would stand gesturing, as if calling a stray dog home. A secret spell, something only he knew to wake the creature in the sky.

And when winds struck, it could seem as if the whole kite would burst with longing to leave the earth.

What an old song this is—what flies above our heads like a banner, a wish for the one who never comes home.

I. Kite Flying

Ethereally Freely 3:2

3

3

3

3

3

Voice Late

sum - mer when the

winds blew hard,

I would

blend

in - to

the

sand,

while my

fa - ther stood

at

the edge

of

the beach.

Violoncello Follow the voice



  3

3

3

3

Piano





5:4





3

Follow the voice (Small triangle, with triangle beater throughout)

 

(sus. cymb.) wire brush

5:4



triangle beater

wire brush

Percussion 5:4

N

3

5

3

3

3

3

3:2

Voice Watch - ing the

kite

rise

a - gainst dark pines,

the

line which teth - ered

it

to his hands,

be - came

in - vi si-ble in the half light of

dusk.

Vc.









3:2



 

 3

Pno. 3:2





 

 



 

5:4

   3

5

wire brush, on med. tom-tom circular scrape wire brush

 

triangle beater

wire brush

Perc.

5:4

In time

Blend with instruments

4

11

3

3

Voice Da da da da da

da

etc.

da 3

3

3

3

5:4

Vc.

slow - fast

3

5:4

5:4

3

3

3

Pno. slow - fast

11

To Drums (with timbale sticks)

Perc.

17

3

Voice 5:4

3

3

5:4

5:4

3

3

3

3

3

Vc.

5:4

slow - fast

5:4

3

5:4

slow - fast

5:4

5:4

Pno. 3

17

Perc.

3

5:4

6:4

To the foreground

5 21

3

3

ris - ing

then fall - ing a - gain,

3

3

Voice da (

da )

da )(

(

How

da )

(

it

pulled heav - en

-

ward pizz. con vibrato

)

simile 3

3

Vc.

 



3

6:4



)



(

3

3

Pno.

3





 



3

3

3

3

una corda

21

3

Drums (with timbale sticks)

3

Perc.



25

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Voice al - ways

be-yond reach.

And he would stand ges - tu -ring,

as if

call - ing

a stray

dog

home.

pizz. arco

3

3

3

3

Vc.

3

3

3 3

3

3

Pno.

3

3

25

Perc.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

3

3



 

 

3

 

6 30

subito

3

Voice 3

A

sec - ret

spell,

3

some - thing

on - ly

arco

he

knew,

to

3

wake

the

crea - ture in

the

sul tasto

3

Vc. subito 6:4

3

3

3

subito

Pno.

3

3

3

tre corde

3

30



Perc.

rim shot

rim shot

3



 

To Japanese Temple Bowls

 

3

Gently 36

3

3

Voice sky.

And

when

winds

struck,

it

could

seem

as

if

the whole

kite would flautando, sul pont.

burst

with

Vc.

  

Gently

Pno.

3

   

Perc.

Japanese temple bowls Gently

5:4

5:4

3

Improvise in this fashion 36

 

 

3

  

 

 3



 

   

 

7 40

3

3

Voice long - ing

to

leave

the earth. ord.

3

3

3

3

Vc.

 

 

  3:2

slow - fast

 

   3:2

3

3:2

3

  3

 

 

5:4

3:2

Pno.

 

40

 

3:2

  

5:4

5:4

5:4

5:4



(Improvise)



Perc.



 

3:2



 

wire brush

To Cymbal and Triangle (with wire brush and triangle beater)

3

45

3

Voice What an flautando, sul pont.

old

song

this

ord.

5:4

3

3

(

)

Vc.

5:4



 

 



 

 

3

3:2

Pno.

 

 

3

3 45

Perc.

triangle beater

wire brush

3

is

8

Freely

51

3

3

3

3

3

Voice what flies a - bove

our

heads like a ban -ner,

a

wish for the one who (

(

)

ne - ver comes (

home.

)

(

)

3

3

Follow the voice

)

Vc.

Follow the voice

3

5:4

3

3

Pno.

wire brush circular scrape

51

Perc.

N

57

Voice

Sul D (

Vc.

)

(

)

3

N 3

3

3

3

3

3

Pno. 3

57

Perc. wire brush

3

II. Halfway Notes to performers: IMPROVISATION: The notation indicates an improvised section, where piano, cello and percussion all create effects that sound like wind or rustling leaves. The conglomerate effect should be incredibly atmospheric, without too much focus on pitch.

Cello: Some suggestions for improvisation include whistling, creating wind sounds with your voice, playing col legno tratto and extremely sul pont. Try to avoid clearly articulating any pitches. Make sure to use your voice in addition to the cello. The overall dynamic of these sections should be soft, although momentary crescendi to louder dynamics are desirable.

At places such as mm 1, where you are asked to improvise as well as given a specific figure to play, improvise with your voice while playing the given figure, and then incorporate the cello into the wind effects once the figure is complete.

Percussion: Suggestions for improvisation include playing hairpin dynamics, sustained rolls, or scrapes on the sizzle cymbal (with beaters or fingers), whistling, making wind sounds with your voice, etc. Use a variety of effects and timbres, making sure to include your voice as well as instruments. The overall dynamic should always be soft (although momentary crescendi to louder dynamics are desirable.)

Piano: You will need a small glass or plastic bottle with a narrow mouth for the improvised sections. Blow into the bottle's mouth at an angle, at random, to create a sound like blowing wind. The bottle might occasionally produce an actual pitch, which is acceptable. When you are given a figure in box notation, such as including specific rhythms and pitches, improvise on these figures (while continuing the 'bottle' texture. (You will have to play with one hand, and hold the bottle with the other.) Keep the sparse, delicate overall texture even while playing on the keys. DO NOT let the pitches become too intrusive or prominent.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Percussion: Attach a paper clip or coin to the cymbal only for this movement, to create a delicate sizzle effect.

Cello: The starting pitches of the "seagull" effect are not to be taken too literally. More important than the actual pitches is simply to start high enough on the A string, so as to get as many different harmonic partials as possible.

Halfway It has been hours now. The sun long swallowed in a growing bank of grey. Your body turned machine. The noiseless circle of arms and feet and their thousand-fold revolutions. How long have you pushed on, parting the cold waves, anticipating that last stroke forward, the one that ends in the earth, a foot in the weeds, or a voice calling you free? How long till the water holds you fast and claims you her own? And what now, what to do with the night sky so full of nameless want and need?

II. Halfway

3:2

3

3

3

3

3

3

3:2

Voice It has been

(Seagull effect)

hours

now.

It has been

hours

now.

The

sun

long

swa llowed in

a

gro -wing bank of

grey.

Cello

"wind"

"wind"  

Piano

(Like a bell blown occasionally by the wind)

 

3:2

Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)

Percussion

"wind"

To Tom-Tom

12 9

3:2

3

3:2

3

3

3:2

3

has been hours.

Your

Voice It

has been hours

now

hours

now.

It

has been hours

sul pont.

ord.

3

now.

It

sul pont.

ord.

3

3

3:2

3

Vlc. N ("wind")

 

("wind") 3

3 3:2

Pno.

3

9

Low Tom-Tom (medium yarn beaters)

Perc.

("wind")

 

3:2

16

3

3

3:2

3:2

3

3:2

3:2

3:2

cresc.

13

Voice bo-dy turned ma - chine.

It has

been

hours has been hours.

hours.

The noise - less

sul pont.

ord.

3

cir - cles of arms and

ord

3

Vlc. 3:2

 

  3

3:2

3

3:2

Pno.





cresc.







 



3:2

cresc.

3:2 3:2

16

3:2

To Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)

Perc.

23

3

3

3:2

Voice feet

and

their thou - sand - fold

re - vo

-

lu - tions.

Vlc. 3:2

 



  















 3:2

3:2

Pno.

3:2 3:2

3:2 23

Perc.

14 27

3:2

3

Voice It

has

been

hours

now.

Long,

Vlc.

"wind"



Pno.

 



 3:2



 3:2



3:2





 

"wind"

3:2

Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets) 27

Perc.

"wind"

grey

15 34

3:2

3:2

3:2

Voice hours.

It

(Seagull effect) 3:2

Vlc.

("wind")

   

Pno.

34

To Tom-Tom

Perc.

("wind")

been

sul pont.

ord.

("wind")

has

 

 

Low Tom-Tom (medium yarn beaters)

hours

now. ord.

16 41

3

Voice

sul pont.

3

ord

3

Vlc. cresc.

  

 

Pno.

 

 

 

 

 

 

cresc.

subito

 

 



41

Perc.

46

3:2

3:2

subito

3

3

Voice How long

have you pushed

on,

par - ting the cold

waves

sul pont

Vlc. 3:2

subito

3

subito

R.H.

Pno.

  

 

  3

46

Perc.

an - ti - ci

-

pa - ting

that

17 50

3:2

3

3:2

3

3

3

3

3

3:2

Voice last

stroke

forward,

the

one

that ends

in

earth,

a

foot in the weeds,

or

a

voice

call

-

ing

you free?

Vlc.

   

 



4:3

cresc.

Pno.

3

3:2 50

Perc.

54

3:2

Voice 3:2

How

long

till

the wa

-

ter

holds

you

3:2

fast

fast

3:2

and

claims

you

her

ord

Vlc. 3:2

3:2 3:2

3:2

Pno.

3:2 54

Perc.

3:2

18

57

Voice own?

(Seagull effect)

Vlc.

3:2

3

3:2

Pno.

  

3:2

 

3

3 3:2

  

3 3:2

3

3

3:2

57

Perc.

To Sizzle Cymbal

Sizzle Cymbal (with soft mallets)

 

 

19 3:2

61

3:2

Voice 3:2

And what

now,

what

to do

with the

night sky sul pont

Vlc.

"wind"

  

  

 

 

 

 

 



3:2

Pno.

 

61

Perc.

"wind"

so

20 67

ca 10 sec

3:2

3:2

Voice full

of

name

-

less

want

and

need? ca 10 sec

Vlc.

("wind")

  Pno.







ca 10 sec

"wind"

67

ca 10 sec

Perc.

("wind")

III. Credo

This movement is for unaccompanied voice, and is meant to be extremely improvisatory.

The notation consists of unstemmed noteheads and grace notes, without specified rhythms or durations. Use natural speech rhythms to dictate the rhythms and pacing of each phrase, which is demarked by a breath mark. The effect should be that of musically reciting a simple melodic line with ornamentation.

Two signs are used to show the relative stress upon a note and . The first marking indicates a sort of pickup gesture - i.e. notes marked with the sign are leading towards a note that has emphasis, but have none themselves. Notes marked with the sign are stressed in the manner of downbeats. . , , and are used to indicate microtonal inflections of a pitch. E.g. preceding an 'F' means to sing an F#, but one that is slightly 'sharper' than usual. The actual size of each microtone is not important - use your musical sense to decide how much to bend the tone.

The overall effect is intended to be similar to sung arabic recitations of religious texts. Do not be afraid to bend the pitches slightly, inflect or ornament them in different ways. Use a variety of vocal tones and colours, natural devices such as scooping into notes, etc, to create a lyrical, expressive effect, without being tied down to western classical conventions.

Credo Not so much the world, but what it signifies: last year's rain still sleeping in the deepest wells, or cherry trees arched over stone walls. Yearning.

The earth bent around a weathered pine. Old stoves tipped and sleeping, iron rusting into green. Forgetting.

God is always in the places I cannot reach, be He blackbird or raven. Even the geese guillotining the sky mean something to the girl laid down in weeds. Someone is speaking in darkness, a voice like sorrow, something like tin, the sun, even in sin, even then, I believe.

All night, our prayers rise like dust. Our voices reach like seed for rain.

Credo

Freely, with an exotic elegance

Voice Not

so

rain

arched

ning.

much

the

still

o

-

world,

sleep

-

-

-

The

earth

ing

ver

but

in

what

the

deep

stone

bent

a

it

sig

-

walls.

-

round

a

est

-

ni

-

wells,

Yearn

fies:

or

-

wea - thered

last

cher

-

-

pine.

year's

-

ry

-

trees

-

-

Old

24

stoves

tipped

and

sleep

ing,

get

ting.

i

-

ron

rust - ing

God

is

in

al

-

-

to

green.

ways

in

For

the

pla

( ces

I

can

en

the

geese

laid

down

-

not

reach,

guil

in

-

lo

be

-

tin

-

weeds.

He

black

ing

the

Some

-

-

bird

sky

mean

one

is

or

ra

-

ven.

speak

-

-

) Ev

some - thing

to

-

ing

-

-

-

the

girl

in

dark

-

-

25

ness,

a voice

( sin,

like

sor

-

row,

some - thing

like

tin,

the

sun,

ev

-

en

in

night,

our

) ev

-

en

then,

I

be - lieve.

(Hum)

All

attacca

pra

-

-

-

yers

rise

like

dust.

Our

voi

-

ces

reach

like

seed

for

rain.

IV. I Dream My Father On The Shore

Notes: This movement begins with an unmetered, free section for cello and percussion. The cellist will give a cue to the ensemble where indicated in the score - this is labeled as measure 1 of the music.

Cello - Opening section: This section is a cello solo, supported by percussion in the background. Play expressively, using rubato and stretching time as needed.

The figures separated by breath marks indicate musical gestures that are to be played together. The rests separating these gestures have no specific value - (even though written as quarter notes). Instead, treat them as pauses between each phrase. Listen to the percussion and use your musical sense to decide how long or short the pause before the next gesture should be.

Where marked in the score, give a clear cue to the ensemble (specifically to percussion) showing where metered time begins.

I Dream My Father On The Shore Outside, beneath the light of late October's candled sky the weave of ash and maple burns. We stand silent on the graveled shore.

My father lifts his father’s ashes from its urn, a strangely heavy thing, he seems to say, arms swaying. Casting out into the long dark as if to throw a line - we wait for some sound, a wave, whatever marks the distance between a father and a son.

And when night comes, it comes without a tread, without a word.

The stars flicker in their endless retreat, more distant than before.

The harvest is long past, the apples have fallen to the orchard floors.

Even my father turning to go is almost lost to the reeds, his figure no more than a pattern of light—a memory of a road that winds through the darkness to our waiting ride home.

IV. I Dream My Father On The Shore

Freely,

sul pont. slow fast

slow

ord. solo With complete freedom

fast

slow

fast

3:2

 

3

Cello subito Japanese Temple Bowls Improvise in this fashion

Percussion

 

 

etc.

(keep trilling fingers while sliding) slow

fast

1

(

In time Give cue to Percussion

)

Vlc.

( 3

3

slow

fast

3

)

(

3

slow

fast

Pno.

In time

Triangle

(Improvise)

Perc.

N

slow

)

29 5

Voice With intensity, always allowing the voice to be clearly heard.



3

Vlc. (

 

)

3





 

3





 3







3

3

3

  

Pno.

  3

5

3

To Drums and Cymbal (with medium yarn mallets)

Perc.

N

9

4:3

4:3

 

Voice Out (ord.)

-

side,

be

-

neath

the

light

of

late

4:3

Oc - to - ber's

 

can

4:3

-

dled

( )

 

sky

the

sul pont.

Vlc. 

3

    

Pno.

9

Perc.

  4:3



weave

of

ash

and

30 13

4:3

4:3

Voice ma - ple

burns.

We

stand

si - lent

on

the

gra - veled - shore.

My

his

ord.

 

Vlc.

fa - ther lifts



subito

3



3



6:4

Pno.

subito

  3

13

Perc.

17

4:3

3

Voice ash - es

from

its

urn,

a strange - ly

hea - vy

thing,

he

seems

to

say,

arms

sway - ing.

Vlc. 3

4:3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Pno.

17

3

On bell

Perc.

3

fa - ther's

Poco a poco rit.

31 4:3

22

Voice Cast - ing

out

in - to

the

long

dark

as

if

to

throw

a

(ord.)

Vlc. 3

4:3

3

6:4

Pno.

22

on surface

To Triangle and High Temple Bowl

Perc.

Poco meno mosso 26

Freely 3

ďƒ?

Voice line

we

wait

sul pont.

for

some

ďƒ?

sound,

we

wait

for

a

wave,

what -

flautando con sord. sul pont. (

Vlc.

3

3

Pno. (

Triangle 26

Perc.

)

)

Poco meno mosso 31

4:3

32

a tempo

4:3

Voice ev - er marks the

dis - tance

be - tween

a

fa

-

ther

and

a son. ord., sul tasto senza sord.

Vlc. 3

N

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Pno.

3

3

N

una corda

3

To Suspended Cymbal and Drums (medium yarn mallets)

31

Triangle

Perc.

High Temple Bowl

38

3

3

Voice And

when

night

comes,

it

comes with - out

a

tread,

with - out

a

word.

The

ord.

3

Vlc. 3

3

5:4

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Pno. 3

3

38

3

3

3

Triangle Sus. Cymbal

(sus. cymb)

Perc. (low tom)

 3



(w triangle beater, back of mallet, respectively) 3

Darkly, lilting

33 42

3

3

3

3

3

3

long

past,

3

Voice stars

flick - er in their end - less

re - treat,

more

dis - tant than

be - fore.

The

ord.

har

-

vest

is

the

sul pont.

Vlc. 3 3 3

3

3

3

6:4

3

6:4

3

3

3

Pno.

3

3

3 3

Put down triangle beater, pick up second mallet

42

To Drums and Cymbal (with medium yarn mallets)

3

Perc.



45



5:4

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

 

Voice ap

-

ples have fall - en

to

the

or - chard

floors.

Ev - en

my fa - ther

turn

ning to go

is

al - most

lost

to the reeds,

3

his

6:4 3

3

3

3

3

Vlc.

3

3

3

5:4

3

3

3

3

3

3

Pno.

3

45

Perc.

On bell 3





on surface

To Triangle (Put down mallets, pick up triangle beater)

A little slower 48

3

3

34

Poignantly

a tempo

molto rit.

3

Voice fi - gure no more

than a pat - tern of light (trill even while sliding) flautando 3 sul pont.

a

mem - ory of

a

ord.

6:4

3

sul pont.

(ord.)

3

Vlc. N

3

3

6:4

3

Pno.

48

triangle beater

To Temple Bowls

Perc.

52

dim.

Voice road

that

winds

through

the

dark - ness

to

our

wait

-

-

ing

ride

home.

Vlc.

3

3

Pno.

3

dim.

52

Perc.

3

Japanese Temple Bowls

 

  dim.

 

  3

  