Sankaram | The Bitter Suite

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The Bitter Suite

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A gonzo song cycle on text by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

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Kamala Sankaram 2008

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The Bitter Suite

A gonzo song cycle on text by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

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I. Prologue (Watermark) ......................................... 2 II. Every Four Years .....................................................5 III. Nightmare in La-La Land .................................... 9 IV. Bull Elk ................................................................. 12 V. Fear ........................................................................ 16 VI. Epilogue (The Season is Over) .......................... 20

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Kamala Sankaram 2008

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Commissioned by Anti-Social Music for Election Night, 2008

Instrumentation Soprano Electric Guitar

Duration: 5'

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Viola Violoncello Double Bass

First printing, March 2024

Copyright ©2008 Kamala Sankaram. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

2

Prologue (Watermark)



  









  









   

a

  

      

    

  

life - time.



May - be

 



it meant some - thing.

  



  







not



SC 3



  





  

  

 

















  









There was a fan - tas - tic un-i - ver - salsense that what we were do - ing was

 

        



            

    

His - to - ry ishard to know.

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    



    



     





   



Copyright © 2008 Kamala Sankaram Music (ASCAP) Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com





  







  

  





 





      



       Vla. 

May - be

E. Gtr.

Db.

Seems like

L

   

 

Vc.

 

ries.

SA

10

S. Solo



  

                                                    

U

Violoncello

-



E



mem - o



R



-











 



Strange

q=80

Double Bass

 



Electric Guitar

Viola

 

 

Soprano Solo

Sankaram



q=80

O

Dr. Hunter S. Thompson



   





 







3

Db.







 

     

 





 







   







Vc.





    

 

 

   

   



   

3



SA

  



U



  

3

3

  





wave

  









     





3

3

         



3

We had

  















  

theirs.

  



    

          3



 

we were rid - ing on the crest of a high andbeau - ti - ful

PE R



E. Gtr.



    

3

all the mo - men-tum

     



                           

S. Solo

Db.

  

  



23

Vla.

  

L

Vc.

  

There was no pointinfight - ing on our side or







 

  

Our en - er - gy would sim - ply pre - vail.

           



Vla.





   

E. Gtr.





right, that we were win ning.

         

E



R







O

S. Solo

SC

      

17

So

 





      

4

Vla.

      



  

a

steep hill and look West and with the right kind of eyes you can al - most









      

up

  





   

  





 





 

  

  





             

33

S. Solo

see the high wa - ter mark,

Vla.





Vc.

Db.





 

 

     

fi - na- lly broke

     

U

  

  

that place where the wave

PE R

E. Gtr.

SA

L



    





You can go

E

 

la - ter

 

R

less than five years

 

Vc.

Db.

now,

  

3                 

3

O

E. Gtr.

   

 

S. Solo

  

SC

29











and rolled back.







                            



  







 



 





 

Electric Guitar

 



 



   







 



 

With gritty distortion



    

                    Viola   

  



  







3

Nasal

Ev' ry four years

the

fe

ver

ses

U

PE R

  Db.   

      

bartok pizz.

arco



 





             

  

                            Vla.   3            Vc.    

E. Gtr.

 



   



 



gliss  .

   

O

   

3

ri

 

                        3 3 3 3               

3





SC

   

3

            

50

S. Solo



 

3

sul pont.

 

L

Double Bass

q.=100

SA

Violoncello

q=100



E

 

q.=100

5

R

Soprano Solo

q=100

Every Four Years

up

ev' ry four years the hun - ger.

 





  Ev'ry four

  

 

          3

years

the

fe

                                                       

   

3

scratch tone

     

 



bartok pizz.

   

Copyright © 2008

 



arco

   

iss.

gl  g   



scratch tone liss.



   

      

ver

   3

g

liss.

6

Vc.

  

Db.

 

66

.3

gliss



    











bartok pizz.

   

        

         

  









     

   

   



arco





 

       

  



 

But



   

   Db.  

3



3



3

 

 



          

3

  

3

  

3

  

To Voice

To Voice

  

     

-

back.

 

  







 

  

the White Knight, the Man on Horse

R

  

For the Sav - ior,



   

 



 



 

           this may be the year

Voice                            To Voice          

   Vla.   Vc.

              

U

E. Gtr.

 

ev' ry four years the hun - ger.

PE R



up

     

O

     Vla.

E. Gtr.

ses

L

ri

  

SC

 

S. Solo

S. Solo

Very overenunciated diction, classical

                  

E

3

SA

58

 

doo

 wah



Voice



doo Voice

wah

doo

wah

     



we

       

7

                                     

75

Voice

    

    Voice   doo

82

    

        Vla. 

E. Gtr.

Vc.

Db.

    

    





 

wah

doo

wah







wah

doo

wah

  

  

the

mon - ey

     

we

need to

     

3

 

buy

3

 

doo

wah To Db.

 

doo

wah

 

guns and with

Double Bass



car

sales- men



  





    



  

  



no qualms at

     

     



 

  

  

3

     

Electric Guitar Distortion                       wah                            3 3 3 To Vc. Violoncello sul pont.                 

doo



used

E

wah

na- tion of

 

R

doo

PE R

with all

wah



doo

S. Solo





We are a



O

  



lay downand say it: To E. Gtr.

SA

Vla.

doo



U

Voice

   

fin - al - ly just

SC

fin - al - ly come face to face with our - selves,

L

S. Solo

3





all

     



3



a - bout



kill

  

-

ing

          3

  g 

liss.

  

     

 gliss.   

 

8

 

3

     

us

  

  

L

   Db.  

3

         



  



  

                                     3 3 scratch  tone  gliss. gliss.        

world who makes

SA

   



the

U

Vc.

     

in

PE R

        Vla.  

else

  

un

-

comf'

-

-

ta

-

E

  

an - y - one

E. Gtr.

   

ble.

O

    

SC

S. Solo

R

86



   

bartok pizz.





 

 





















Nightmare in La-La Land

                      

S. Solo

            

La la la la la la la la la la la





la!



  

     



L

SA

 

97

  

     

La la!

La la

la

la la

la la la la!

Vc.

Db.



  

PE R

U

                      E. Gtr.                pizz.                   Vla.  

 

 



   













 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2008



         

   









  

 

Night - mare in La La



   Double Bass   

Violoncello









tremolo

          

 

  





  

    

   

 Electric Guitar        q=90   tremolo   Viola

Term - i - na- tor seiz - es pow'r in Sa - cra - men - to

  

E

I had a tru-ly horr - i - ble dream last night: the

     

R

3

O

Soprano Solo

          

SC

q=90

9











Land

  



  

 pizz.

    

               La la

la!

La la

la!

La

                                               

 

               pizz.

 

 







  

La

              E. Gtr.               Vla.           Vc.  

116

 

 3

3

      

S. Solo

As for my horr - i - ble

 

end - ed. But this is still a

fuck - ing la - la

La







         

land.

La

  Barre        







arco



     

La

            

  

            gliss. 

gliss. 

gliss. 







 glis  

gliss. 

gliss. 

gliss. 



  



 









tremolo







  

 



 gliss. 

  



 



 

  



PE R



dream, I woke up be- fore it

tremolo



 

                    



Db.





Vc.













  Vla.  





E. Gtr.

La

         

                                                             arco                                     arco                          



 



   

La ha ha!

L



!

 

U

Db.

  

   

La





R

La la la!



   

O



       

   

    

SC

S. Solo

  

SA

 

107

E

10





s.

pizz.





                          

126

    pizz.



Land!

E









La







gliss. 

gliss. 

 

 

 

 

arco

L



La

         

SA



  

11      

scream

                                                   arco . iss. .          gliss  gliss  gl  gliss.  

U

Db.

  

PE R

Vc.

 

gliss.

R

Vla.

         





O

         E. Gtr.      pizz.      La









SC

S. Solo





 

 

  

Bull Elk

Electric Guitar

              



A man on the scent of the White House G Em









q=80 pizz. 3  Cool     Viola        

Violoncello



rare- ly C

ev - er





ra - tion - al.

D

 

                3 3      

   



pizz.

3

3

   



 

He's more like a beast in heat: G Em



 



a

                 3

3

3

 

 

   

3

3



3

    

  

3





  

S. Solo



Bull Elk C

  

E. Gtr.

    

in the rut.

D







      Crash - ing blind - ly Bm

U

4

SA

L

   Double Bass  

3

is

        



    

O



   

 

   

SC

Soprano Solo

E

Cool q=80

R

12





      through the



Db.



 

PE R

3       3       Ooh!    Vla.       3 3 3           Vc.

   

Ooh!



Ooh!





       

tim - ber F©



in

C

a

3

 

fe - ver for some - thing to fuck.

D





3 3                3 3     

    

  





3

The



         

    

3

3

13



eyes glaze ov- er their, ears pack up with wax, their loins get

E. Gtr.

Bm

F#m

Bm

F#m

G

 









heav - y with blood. They'll crash through

3

  3

3

Vc.

  

 

12

S. Solo

balls,

  





tramp - ling

   



 

small trees



and

Db.



PE R

Vc.

                                      





ber

like

huge

can

  -

non

  



                     

arco



  

tear - ing blood - y chunks of

                                                                          Vla.  

E. Gtr.

-



q=160 arco

              

U





L







tim



                        

SA

Db.

  



the



SC

3

Metal distortion

D

                    Vla.         3        3





R



q=160

O

S. Solo

     

E

               

7

                   

  

  











hair on the big ones. Sharks

      



in

 a

   

feed - ing frenz

 - y

Metal distortion

                        arco      

                                                arco

14

19



S. Solo





they

  





be - have

like

             hu - man drug



D









  

know it's





true

 

A

 

car - eer







C



    

   

G

U

You

C

 

Em

    

3



3



    



pizz.

  

L

 

SA

  

26

E. Gtr.

     Cool q=80 3 pizz. 3               G

R

O

SC

                

                  Db.   





wares.

                  

                   

S. Solo

on their own



                                         

 E. Gtr.                                         Vla.   Vc.

mad

  

q=80

E



deal - ers

  

Cool

Em









 



pol - i - ti - cian



D





Db.



 

PE R

3 3 3    3           pizz.                       Vla.             3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3                  Vc.

   

pizz.

   

15





is like

a

F©



 

   3

  3

  



bull

elk

in

the

      3

 

  3





rut





 









 









    









3



oooh

D

3        

L

   



C

SA

 

   

U





the White House

PE R

   Vla.       Vc. Db.

smell - ing

Bm

 

E. Gtr.





E

fi - nall - y





R

3

 

SC

S. Solo

3

O

    

29

 

   

Fear

Electric Guitar

 

   Viola    q=120

   

Violoncello

    













   



 



 





   

  

                                                                                                                               

39

Vla.





3

We are turn ing



in - to a na - tion of whim - per - ing slaves to fear

U

E. Gtr.



                 

                    

PE R

S. Solo



SA

L

Double Bass



R

 

O

Soprano Solo

SC

q=120

E

16

                                      Db.   Vc.





 

   

   

       

Copyright © 2008





           3





We

are turn ing

in - to a na - tion of whim - per - ing



                                              

  



 



 



17

E. Gtr.

  Vla.     

Vc.



 

Fear



           

  



     

  





 

may

change



of war

   

                   



     

fear





    







gli  

      gliss.   pizz.

  





  

  gliss.    

      

            



                    3 3              

of po

ver - ty

fear

of ran

dom terr

or - i - sm.

  3 

3

ss.

    

The



     

 gli  

ss.

    

S. Solo

leaves



E. Gtr.





Vc.

Db.



pizz.

 

  

but the



  

          



 

roots re - main the same.

 

     

PE R

      Vla.   pizz.

               

U

51

SA

L

Db.



  

E

 



R

  

slaves to fear



O

      

S. Solo

SC

45





 Dm

 

SOLO:

 C9

 B¨sus4

 C

   arco                                     

   arco                                           arco                                       

18

S. Solo







Dm

C9

 



 B¨sus4





C







                           

E

58

Dm



   Dm

Vc.

 



           

 

PE R

   Vla.  





 Db.   

C9





     

U

E. Gtr.





SA

66

S. Solo

B¨sus4

C





                                                   

L

Db.

C9

SC

Vc.

                          SOLO:   

O

R

                                                   Vla.         

E. Gtr.

     



     





   

The leaves

 

B¨sus4

           



  



  

C





      





     







may

change

    

pizz.

pizz.

 

    

pizz.

  

      



19

but the

 

roots

               Vla.  

E. Gtr.

Vc.



        

  

re - main

the same



  

 

            



 

PE R

U

SA

L

  Db.    

  

   

so

just

 

  

lay back

  



and live

E

 



R



  

arco



O

S. Solo



   

arco

  

with





















arco

  

SC

    

71



it.





Epilogue (The Season is Over)

 







  







No More Games

  Viola   q=80

 























Double Bass

  







    

 







        



No MoreWalk - ing



   

No More Fun







































E. Gtr.

  Vla.  

Vc.

Db.





 

No More Swim - ming



 

     Sixt - y sev - en

U

 

S.





PE R

86

SA

L





Violoncello







No More Bombs



 

  

E

Electric Guitar



Opt. 8vb

SC

Soprano

 

R

q=80

O

20



               

That is sev - en- teen years past fif- ty

 

























Copyright © 2008































     





   

Sev - en- teen more than I need - ed

     

      or want- ed















21

Vla.

  



   



  







 







 









 



3











   



No fun

       

for an- y - bod -y

Sixt - y sev en

E

I'm al - ways Bitch -y

     



  



































R

Bor - ing

      







You are get - ting

    





 





 





 



S.

E. Gtr.

 

  Vla.  Vc.

Db.





  



     



   

     



   

     

    

PE R

Greed - y

    







    Act your old age.

Re - lax.

This won't hurt.                                       

U

102

SA

L

Db.

  

     

Vc.

    



O

E. Gtr.





S.

SC

94





                 

   

                                            



   

E R O SC L SA U PE R

Sankaram: The Bitter Suite JAT-138-012-SP

www.justatheorypress.com