Sirens (song cycle for two sopranos, mezzo-soprano and pre-recorded track)

SIRENS

SONG CYCLE FOR TWO SOPRANOS, MEZZO SOPRANO AND PRE-RECORDED TRACK

By Juhi Bansal, texts adapted from James Russell Lowell

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

Notes on performance:

This piece will be performed with microphones, and as such vocal projection is less of an issue than expressiveness. This is an extremely theatrical setting, and uses unpitched and semi-pitched whispers and speech, vocal effects to emulate shouting, hissing and bird cries, as well as traditional bel canto singing. The two main characters in the piece are sweet and vicious, to convey the dual nature of the sirens.

Some specific notations are clarified below: 1) Semi-pitched whispers/ speech: These are shown on a single-line staff. The effect should be theatrical in the extreme, exploiting a variety of vocal timbres to convey the text and story.

All pitches shown on the single-line staff are relative, and do NOT refer to specific pitches.

There should be no attempt to match pitch between the three voices in these sections.

2) Glissandi: Downward glissandi are used as a motivic element in this piece. These should be slow and exaggerated, bringing out the slide itself in priority over the beginning and ending notes.

3) Bird cries: Where indicated (with a triangle notehead), these may begin on any high note.

Cues: The score includes cues throughout to help sync and perform with the pre-recorded music.

These show specific passages that are of use either to sync in time, or to find pitches.

Timing indications in minutes and seconds are also included throughout the score (under the cue part) to facilitate practice.

Sirens I - Introduction q = 85 (piano)

    



 

   





Cues (from audio track)



Soprano 1

 











Soprano 2













Mezzo-soprano















 

6



6

Cues

 















(13 secs)

Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful S1 (semi-pitched whispers) S1.

  

  

 

Come clos - er

sail - or,

pp

3

3

Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful S2 (semi-pitched whispers) S2.





  

 

Come clos - er

sail - or,

pp

3

3

Extremely theatrical! Taunting, gleeful A. (semi-pitched whispers)

MS.

  

  

 

Come clos - er

sail - or,

pp

3

3









 

3 

come

clo - ser,

clos - er

3



 

3 

come

clo - ser,

clos - er

3



 

3 

come

clo - ser,

clos - er

3

(hysterically gleeful) f

3 



clos - er!

(hysterically gleeful) f

3 



clos - er!

(hysterically gleeful) f

3 

clos - er!



3

10

10

Cues

12 







(25 secs)

S1.

(29 secs)

(gliss for full value) mp 3 p   3   3  3              Moor your ship and hear our song!

p

S2.

 

3

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy

        

p

 

3

 3      



This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows

 3      

       

(gliss for full value) mp 3

3



knows

(gliss for full value) mp 3

3

Moor your ship and hear our song!

MS.



Moor your ship and hear our song!



This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows



14

Cues





 3   3     mf

S1.

 3       

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy

knows

mf

3

 3  3       mf

MS.

 knows

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy

S2.



 

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy knows



  

 3      

f

3

       

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy 3 f 3

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy 3 f

        3

This is the mus - ic no - bo - dy

4

18

17

Cues

S1.







Harsh Spoken



              

  

3

3

for an - y - one who heard it is

knows

ff

piano

  







(giggle audibly to each other)



(giggle audibly to each other)



(giggle audibly to each other)



dead.

Harsh

S2.

              

Spoken





for an - y - one who heard it is

knows

MS.

Harsh Spoken

ff

3

3

for an - y - one who heard it is

knows



dead.

              





3

3

ff



dead.

 21

Cues







22 

 

S1.

 Sung, sweetly

S2.



 Sung, sweetly

MS.





(58 secs)

Sung, sweetly

 





p

3 3            

3 3        

3 3            

3 3         

3

The sea is lone ly and p

drear - y.

The sea is lone ly and

drear - y.

3

p

3 3           3

The sea is lone ly and

drear - y.

3

The sea is rest - less, un 3

The sea is rest - less, un 3 3 3       

The sea is rest - less, un -

26

25

Cues

S1.



    ea

S2.

MS.

 -



 -

ea

 -

3 

You seek quiet qui - et (growing agitated) p

qui - et

3

 

 

qui - et

qui - et

3

   

You seek quiet

p (growing agitated) 3

   



mf

3 

3

   

sy





p (growing agitated)

sy

  ea



(1:15 secs)



mf

3

 Innocent p

3 3          3



You seek quiet

sy

5

28(bell)

Our isle is gre - en and



29

33 

29

Cues

S.(speak.)







  

Pitched speaking, taunting, hissing ff

           

Pitched speaking, taunting, hissing

 

ff



come

MS.



(1:29secs)

come rest!

S.(speak.)



Bell + piano

   bree -zy,

(hiss)

come rest!

  

rest!

   

come rest!

come rest! come ressssssssss-t!

  

come

taunting, hissing ff

  

rest!

    come rest!

come



(hiss)

  

resssssstsss t!

(hissing)

   

  

comeressssssssssst!

sung, sweetly mp 3

    

Fo llow our voi ces

sung, sweetly mp 3

    

Fo llow our voi ces

sweetly mp 3

    

Fo llow our voi ces

6

36

34

Cues

S1.









3 3   3                

to the shore

to

be

at

rest

ev -

   

er more

ev -

3

3

to the shore

to

be

at

rest

for

             3

3

MS.

for

3

                 3

S2.



to the shore

to

be

at

ev -



3

  



er more

ev 3

      for

rest

er more

ev -

er



er more



38 (piano)

38

Cues

S1.



 

3

3



     

3

   -

   

   er more

ev -





er

     ev -

(tacet till end of track)

- er







more

(tacet till end of track)

3

for

more

     ev



 

3



 

(tacet till end of track)

3

more

MS.



(1:43 secs)

ev

S2.

(violin)

er

more

 



Sirens II - Seduction N.B. Parts of the acoustic piano accompaniment recorded on this track are extremely free, and the tempo does fluctuate. Additional audible cues in the recording (those indicated below) help set and maintain the steady pulse of quarter note = 110.

All cues indicated below are in the piano, unless otherwise marked. q = 110 Acoustic piano

 



Cues







 



   



   



   

3

   





     3

fff





(synthesized piano)



















p (N.B. This repeated note in synth piano comes back throughout the track.

This is setting and reaffirming the tempo each time it occurs.)



Soprano 1.



NOT in strict time

q = 110













Soprano 2.









Mezzo soprano











5 2

 4



Cues







S. Solo

S. Solo





   

  



 

 





 



(bell)



 



 

5



p

  

 

Look,

look,













  

   Look,

 10

Cues

S. Solo











   





 

12       

3

 fff    12

Look,

p



         look,

         look,

pp

                                

ff (cut off right on piano chord)

      

ff (cut off right on piano chord)

look,

MS. Solo

      

    

look,

    

ff (cut off right on piano chord)

    

look,

NOT in strict time



Look,

S. Solo

look,

p



 

   

  

Look,

look,





(10 secs)

Look,

MS. Solo



 

 

14

          

Cues



  



 

     

 

fff

  

pp

        





(39 secs) (IN TIME)





S. Solo





(synthesized piano)



3



    



p

 



Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p 3     



S. Solo







Look how the gray old

MS. Solo













20 17

Cues









(synth gliss)



(48 secs)

S. Solo

        

   

3

3

o - cean

from the depth of his heart

re - joi



20

 

- ces

S. Solo











MS. Solo











4

(metallic shaking effect unpitched)

21

Cues

S. Solo

 

 















Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p S. Solo



 3   

   3   3   3    

Heave - ing with gen - tle

MS. Solo

mo - tion,





when he



hears

our rest - ful



voi - ces;





25

Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo

MS. Solo



 



    

pp

 













27

NOT in strict time





27



















Seductive, sultry (molto espressivo with portamento) p 3        

List how he sings in an un - der - tone,

    

chi - ming with our

32 30

Cues



Piano







35  





 

(1:13)

S. Solo





                 

     

p

chi - ming with our me - lo - dy

S. Solo







p

chi - ming with our me - lo - dy

MS. Solo

   



35 mp       

32  



 



5

  

and all sweet sounds of

   

mp

and all sweet sounds of







me - lo - dy



36

Cues

S. Solo





   

(synthesized piano)

p

    



earth and air.

S. Solo

   

MS. Solo



38 mp  







         3   3   

all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voi - ce a -



earth and air



38

mp

 

3 3                

all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voi - ce a -



mp

 

3            

all sweet sounds of earth and air melt in - to one voice

NOT in strict time

6 41





Cues

S. Solo







    



42   



  





3





Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo

MS. Solo



 





   

   

 

(hum) (long, slow gliss) f



(hum) 3

3

voi - ce

a - lone



    

a - lone

             





 3

3

(long, slow gliss) f



   

voi - ce

45

sfffz



Piano

(breathy, whisper-like) pp

 





  

44

lone

MS. Solo



44   

(1:36 secs)

lone

S. Solo

42

  

 



      n



       











(fade out by low B hit in piano)



n



(fade out by low B hit in piano)











Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo

MS. Solo

 49      







(synthesized piano)



50

7

(synth gliss)







(1:53 secs)













p

 

50

 



 

pp

voi - ces a - lone

voi - ces a -

         3

(whisper, echo) pp 3

    





       

   voi - ces a -

  

  

That mur - murs ov - er the wea - ry

3

3

voi - ces a - lone

(Half sung, speech-like) mp 3









(whisper, echo) pp

sea

and seems

3

   

to sing

from



57 NOT in strict time

53

Cues

S. Solo











 













 

lone

3

MS. Solo





lone

S. Solo

Piano

     

eve - ry where

pp



    







p







     





3

     voi - ces a - lone pp 3

voi - ces a - lone







57

 

mf

      Here may you har - bour

   

8 58

Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo















 









f

peace - ful - ly



Piano fff





       

     

(off with piano Db chord)



er more

 

 

 

 

(off with piano Db chord)

3

for - ev -





    







 3    for - ev -

MS. Solo



f



      



      

(2:21)

60







60





er more

 64



Cues

S. Solo



 

 

65

   

(toy piano)

























65 

f

    3









for - ev - er more

S. Solo







for - ev - er more



3     

f

for

MS. Solo







3      

f













ev - er more

3     

f

for



ev - er more

9 70



Cues

S. Solo





























   







3     

f

for

S. Solo

3    

f

 

for

MS. Solo

3    

for





mp





3     

for





ev - er more

ev - er more

f

 









ev -

er more

3     



ev - er more

for

ev -

er more

 76



Cues

S. Solo





  





























    

p

for

S. Solo

MS. Solo

  



 

3

(long, slow glissando)









n tacet till end of track





ev - er more

 



tacet till end of track









tacet till end of track





 



Sirens III - Transition Fast h. = 86 , in 1

  Cues

(Hawk scream sound effect)





ff

 



    

Soprano 2.

Mezzo soprano

 7



Cues.

 

S1. Solo

 

  









n

Fast h. = 86 , in 1

Soprano 1.



acoustic piano

MIDI Piano:

 















ff





































7

11















Harp gliss.



7





 





 



 





 













(8 secs)

11







S2. Solo















M. Solo















2

15

13



Cues.

 





 









 





S2. Solo





M. Solo





S1. Solo



Cues.

19

  

S2. Solo



15











































     

 





23



19    











Growing agitated f





















 

 the



23 



f







planks











Be - neath the Growing agitated

Be - neath

M. Solo



19

(13 secs)

S1. Solo













planks













oh,

can't

you







oh,

can't

you



26 25

Cues.







Harp + Flute

  

 

26 



(18 secs)

S1. Solo

  



3

see?

S2. Solo

 







 the





 the

see?

M. Solo



 sli

 sli

hum, slide fluidly through each note mf





-



-







ding

of





ding

of







 the



 the





mmm

 31

Cues.

31 



 

Harp + Flute

 

 

36

 



(23 secs)

31 S1. Solo

  

36 









waves?

S2. Solo

 









and









waves?

M. Solo

Saccharin sweet mp

 mmm





 mmm







beck - o - ning,

Saccharin sweet mp











and

beck - o - ning,





4 37

Cues.









41

Harp





gliss .



glis s

41 S1. Solo

  



 and

S2. Solo

 







beck - o - ning



 and







Growing agitated f

a







beck - o - ning

semi-pitched whisper, agitated mp



a





Come!

cold

Growing agitated f





 



cold





Come!



45

42

Cues.

S1. Solo

S2. Solo





        



 

mf



Come!

Come!







and

lone





and

lone

 Come!



45   -

ly

 -

ly













mf





Come!

Come!

grave

 grave



.



 Cues.

Harp

49

48





   Piano



 

5

53  

          

     

 



   



 

   

(34 secs)

S1. Solo

S2. Solo

      

49

    

 

53































Come!

 54

 Cues.

 

 

Piano



     Sweetly p

S1. Solo

   

Come, p Sweetly

S2. Solo

  

      

  















 

         

57 







    

Come,

M-S.

 

57

Harp







stay

u - pon

our







stay

u - pon





  

 



 shore





our



shore



6

 Cues.



S1. Solo

S2. Solo

M-S.

    

 



mmm



 

 

         

65    wa

-

  wa



-







ters

go





ters

go



u - pon

the

p







u - pon

the

  



69

(Acoustic piano moves gradually out of time) follow Harp and keep steady pulse regardless.



M-S.

 





n





p





Harp



S2. Solo





65



(slow gliss)





(44 secs)



hum, slide fluidly through each note p (slow gliss)

           

 

(slow gliss)





 

         

61 

  

65

S1. Solo



   

   



Cues.



61

60



 

      (NOT in strict time)







no



 

         

69 



 

(slow gliss)



more

(slow gliss)





no





   









more





simile p



mmm

 



71

73

Harp

    

            

Cues.



 



M-S.

n

(53 secs)

  



 











  

73  





keep

you

safe









We'll

keep

you

safe

mp



mp

n



S1. Solo

 

    



-

 for

ev

-

er -

 -

ev







 -

er -



(NOT in strict time)

 

          

 



















 

80

more

   -

M-S.





-

S2. Solo



piano

Piano



for



80

76

Cues.





 



              

We'll

S2. Solo





(NOT in strict time)

Piano

S1. Solo



7

piano

more









   









simile p



mmm

 



82



8





Cues.

(NOT in strict time)

 



  







 













Piano

S1. Solo

 



hum, slide fluidly through each note pp







 

 

mmm





S2. Solo

hum, slide fluidly through each note pp







 

 

mmm

M-S.







 









89 (Hawk scream sound effect)

88

Cues.

S1. Solo





92





 











ff (1:02 secs)



89

92 





pp



 

mmm

S2. Solo



 ppp

M-S.

  

mmm







pp



 

mmm

 



 

   





9 94

Cues.

S1. Solo

S2. Solo

M-S.













  









 























99

Cues.

S1. Solo

S2. Solo

M-S.















  

n











 

n

























107 10

Piano, violin, cello

105

Cues.





3



   

3



   

(1:15 secs)

 





S2. Solo





M-S.





S1. Solo

(NOT in strict time)

107































 (NOT in strict time)

111

Cues.



3

   

3



   

This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n

S1. Solo

  

mmmm





This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n

S2. Solo

 

mmmm







M-S.

 

mmmm







(slow, deliberate gliss)







(slow, deliberate gliss)



This last gliss. does NOT have to line up with the piano, but all three singers must crescendo and diminuendo together) n







(slow, deliberate gliss)







11 117

Cues.

S1. Solo





 ff   





 n





 n

ff

S2. Solo

  







ff

M-S.

    



n







tacet till end of track



tacet till end of track



tacet till end of track



Sirens IV - Hysteria (distorted pickup + hawk scream)        

Cues

Soprano 1.



 

  

Soprano 2.



Mezzo soprano

 Cues.

S1. Solo

6







(Strings)







   



   

(distorted pickup + hawk scream)





    







f



(unpitched rumble)

   





























Look

6

 

















    

   

(10 secs)

6   

   

  



down and see those shape - less forms, which ev - er keep their dream - less sleep far repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p

S2. Solo

   

shape less forms

repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p

MS. Solo

    

dream less sleep

2

12 10

Cues.











 

jangling bells

  







 





14 

(these specfic pitches may not be easy to hear as they remain in the background)









(21 secs)

(26 secs)

12

14

(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)

S1. Solo

           





sfz

sfz

 

  

 



f

down wi- thin their gloom- y deep.

Snort - ing through the

(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)



sfz S2. Solo







sfz





sfz





sfz





(Sharp downward gliss. on a neutral vowel imitating bird cries. Begin on any high pitch.)



sfz MS. Solo









sfz











Cues.

S1. Solo





 

3

18

15





















(34 secs)

    

   3

18      



f





an - gry spray, your ship caught in their whirl of play, Look down!

S2. Solo







Look

    f





Look down!

MS. Solo









   f



Lookdown! Look down!

 20

Harp





Cues.

S1. Solo















   





(43 secs)

   





     f



  

 f

      



repeat at random in a breathy whisper, arhythmic and unpitched p





Look down!

MS. Solo

Harp

(low noise glissando)

down!

S2. Solo

 









mf

U -



look down down down

 

 

Look down! Look down!





mf



U -

4

24

24

26 



Cues.

S1. Solo







(harp)





 



 



 



24

    pon



      

the sea - weed, slim - y, dark

 (51 secs)















26 sfz 3  





(51 secs)

3  

sfz

dark



Bell

3   sfz

sfz n (fall off)

dark

dark

dark

sfz

sfz

sfz n (fall off)

 

pp S2. Solo

MS. Solo



  

28pon 28



Cues.

S1. Solo

 







(55 secs)

  

the sea - weed, slim - y, dark

Harp



slim - y dark sfz

    

  





 

28

 



 



 

 

3



dark



  

   dark





dark

  







 (1:03 sec)

32 sfz sfz  3 mf 3               lank and brown

brown

 

sfz



dark



 



  



that waves

MS. Solo

  

3

32

that waves its arms so

S2. Solo

3

         

mf

that waves its arms so

lank and brown

brown

  

sfz

3

brown

3

brown



34  







  



3

 



























(Bird cries, as before) sfz













brown

Hawk scream



 

Hawk scream

















(1:16 secs)

38

     

3

beck - o - ning



    3

beck - o - ning

beck - o - ning

 3  

mp



 

    3

beck - o - ning

beck - o - ning

Look

   

   

beck - o - ning

beck - o - ning

    3



 

Look down!

3

beck - o - ning

mp



ff

   

3

MS. Solo



(Bird cries, as before) sfz



mp

S2. Solo



38 38

S1. Solo





sfz n (fall off)

brown





Harp continues in background till end of vocal part

sfz (Bird cries, as before)

n

 sfz

Cues.

brown

 

3

34

brown

MS. Solo

   

3

(1:08 sec)

sfz n 3 (fall off)      

S2. Solo

 

3



sfz

S1. Solo

   

3





Cues.

5

Harp

33

3

    3

beck - o - ning

ff

3

   beck - o - ning

42

6 42

Cues.

S1. Solo

























42

    down!

Look



  down!

  



Look down!

Look

 

Look down!

(repeat frequently but randomly, beginning gesture on different pitches and different beats.) ff S2. Solo







(breathe as necessary)

                         3

MS. Solo

3

3

3

3

48

46

S1. Solo



















MS. Solo



    down!

S2. Solo

3

beck-o-ning beck-o -ning beck-o-ning beck-o ningbeck-o- ning beck-o-ningbeck-o- ning beck-o-ning



Cues.

3

3

 

Look

48

n



  

 



down!

n

3

(tacet till end of track)



beck - o - ning beck - o - ning



3





3

 

n



beck - o - ning beck - o - ning



(tacet till end of track)

(tacet till end of track)



Sirens V - Echoes 4 h =60

Cues

 

h =60











Celesta

(semi-pitched drum)









 

  

4

 













Soprano 2.















Mezzo soprano

 













Soprano 1.



8

7

Cues



  









8 S. Solo

 



humming throughout p





   





  





  





 



humming throughout S. Solo





ppp

  

  humming throughout

MS. Solo







ppp



14

2 13

Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo

MS. Solo



   

Celesta







(26 secs)



16  











16

14 







pp



pp



pp

  





















 





19















 













S. Solo















MS. Solo















Cues

S. Solo

26 25

Cues

S. Solo

S. Solo

MS. Solo

Celesta











(50 secs)





3







26

 





































p











31

Cues

S. Solo





 p  





ppp

S. Solo

MS. Solo

 

  









 

 



 

tacet till end of track





n

 





tacet till end of track



tacet till end of track

