Issuu

Jessica Hunt

PERUSALSCORE

The Nightwatch

for Baritone, Cello, and Piano (2017)

PIANO SCORE

Jessica Hunt

PERUSALSCORE

The

Nightwatch for Baritone, Cello, and Piano (2017)

PIANO SCORE

This setting of Leah Xue’s The Nightwatch imagines a narrative space in which a night-shift guard (it doesn’t matter where) has a shift (it doesn’t matter when) in which “nothing unusual” happens (or maybe not). Staging and gesture serve symbolic purpose, in a completely literal (or abstract) interpretation of the event (or non-event) that the guard relates to his interrogators (or to no one in particular). Sometimes an orange is just an orange (or a woman’s body); a fork is just a fork (one hopes). Dissonant harmonic language is employed throughout; angular lines and jarring juxtapositions of meter and texture are contrasted with stretches of jaunty nonchalance and ﬂuid suspense.

nothing unusual, said the nightwatch holster awry but still standing, telling the whole truth like a slice, of orange, ﬂesh ripping under the peel of touch, i know nothing, he would admit later, under the interrogation lights. but what, does anyone know, they said, besides the charted map projected to reality, stating facts, updated annually of where and how to get there if you were, or weren’t, before what does anyone know? but what gets stuck to ﬁnger tips wrapped around a fork tilting into nothing, nothing unusual

PERUSALSCORE

—Jessica Hunt 2017

The Nightwatch by Leah Xue

STAGE ACTION: PIANIST, while shining a �ashlight on the stage �oor with their downstage arm, takes a few steps into the performance space, hesitates, stops in pro�le to the audience. PIANIST freezes there, as if sensing something creeping up behind them. After a 6-8 seconds, they take a deep breath and start forward once more, bending their path upstage of the piano. As PIANIST nears Center Stage, the CELLIST enters with audible footsteps, also with �ashlight in hand (if cellist is uncomfortable holding both the �ashlight and the cello, then the cello should be preset on stage before the piece begins). e PIANIST whirls around, and both PIANIST and CELLIST freeze, shining their �ashlights at each other. After a tense moment, they BOTH slowly lower their �ashlights, mirroring each other's movements.

PIANIST circles downstage of piano, CELLIST circles upstage and procedes to their stand. As BOTH settle into their instruments, both �ashlights should be set down facing Upstage Center at a diagonal, aiming at a pre-set chair upstage -- the pianist's on the desk, the cellist's on a horizontally angled stand nearby. e BARITONE remains oﬀstage for the moment. A few long breaths should pass before playing measure 2.

Baritone

Violoncello

ACTION: e BARITONE enters from Stage Right wings (or Back House Left if no wings), hands clasped behind his back. HE wears hard soled shoes, his steps ominous.

ACTION: e BARITONE passes behind PIANIST, uncomfortably close, nearly breathing down the PIANIST's neck. e PIANIST self-consciously removes their hands from the keys, but leaves the pedal down to carry sound.

ACTION: e BARITONE trails a hand along the lid of the piano as he walks towards Center Stage

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(repeat until next action)

ACTION: e BARITONE hits Center, turns his head quickly towards the CELLIST who then freezes mid-bow and stops producing sound under his gaze. e BARITONE turns his focus back to the audience. He is now casual, relaxed, charming.

whistling, nonchalant Ominous q = 48

said

ord. arco, non vib.

theNightwatch,

ord., vib. ord.

ACTION: e BARITONE pauses, smiles winningly.

(audible inhalation)

ACTION: e BARITONE casts his hand back down and looks back to the audience in one �rm, rhythmic gesture.

PERUSALSCORE

ACTION: e BARITONE looks down at his hands, his �ngers splayed and curled slightly.

ACTION: e BARITONE catches his balance, straightens and stands tall

ACTION: e BARITONE looks down at the �oor just to his right, turning his head. His right hand �dgets, �ngers open and close a �st, perhaps.

ACTION: e BARITONE staggers back a few steps

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ACTION: e BARITONE, otherwise completely still, takes a deep breath and holds it for a few seconds; he does not exhale until next measure

ACTION: e BARITONE looks up, looks to PIANIST, looks to CELLIST, then makes eye contact with audience member.

ACTION: e BARITONE looks again to the same spot on the �oor. He takes a deep breath, clasps his hands behind his back, and turns to walk upstage towards a preset chair. He sits in the crossbeams of light from the two �ashlights, squints a little, raises his hands to block the light, then thinks better of that action and instead grasps his thighs.

use both hands on bow to "saw the C string (overpressure/scratch, almost no pitch, free bow)

= 60 ( q = 30)

charted - mapproject - ed - toreal - i - ty, - stating - facts,updat - ed - annu - al - ly, -

Vc.

of f broadly where andhowtogetthereifyouwere,or � trailing oﬀ weren't,before.

ACTION: e BARITONE stands, he walks to the spot he's been looking at on the �oor, standing directly over it. He looks down at it, his whole body tense.

BARITONE (spoken, truly wondering): "What does anyone know?"

ACTION: e BARITONE looks at audience, crazed, violent, terrifying. His right hand rises of its own accord, as if holding a gun; he aims it forward towards the audience, as his gaze shifts from the audience to his hand.

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ACTION: e BARITONE releases his hand back to his side.

ACTION: e BARITONE relaxes, chuckles as if he's just made a satisfying little joke to himself.

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ACTION: e BARITONE clasps his hands behind his back, turns upstage, and nonchalantly walks upward into the crossbeams of the �ashlights.

ACTION: e BARITONE pauses, his shadow doubly projecting on the back wall. e CELLIST and PIANIST look upstage after the BARITONE. BLACKOUT (if possible), or HOLD before releasing characters to conclude the performance.