Chicken or Beef? [pocket opera perusal score]

PERUSAL SCORE CHICKEN OR BEEF?

PERUSAL SCORE pocket opera

Music by Justine F. Chen Libretto by David Brock

PERUSAL SCORE Copyright © 2008 by Justine F. Chen and David Brock. All Rights Reserved.

PERUSAL SCORE Authorized for use by ISSUU.

TEASER: Based on the sibling rivalry of King Lear's Edmund and Edgar: each of two brother bulls tries to convince the other to head to the barn. What is at stake? Today isn't just any old day: it's Slaughterday!

CHARACTERS: BULL EDGAR, tenor BULL EDMUND, baritone

SYNOPSIS: Each of two brother bulls attempts to convince the other to enter the barn. Neither wants to go, knowing their lives are at stake. The two flatter, dare, and challenge one another, until a race finally settles it: first one to the barn wins. Sort of.

••• Please contact the authors for performance rights. www.justinefchen.com www.davidjamesbrock.com

PERUSAL SCORE

Created at Tapestry New Opera Works' Composer-Librettist Laboratory, 2008.

Premiered at Opera Briefs, by Tapestry New Opera Works, September 26, 2008.

PERUSAL SCORE 1

Chicken or Beef?

Music: Justine F. Chen Text: David Brock

Pleasant and Content q = 112 suavely

° 3 ∑ ∑ Bull Edgar & 4 ‹ œ œ™ ™ œ œ œ ˙ 3 ? Œ Bull Edmund ¢ 4

Œ œ œ

œ ‰ œj œ

œ œ œ œ œ

Yes, your

hind - quar - ters are spec - tac

∑

-

∑

u

lar!

∑

Do you real - ly think so?

Pleasant and Content q = 112

bœœ n˙˙ ™™

œ œ Œ œ œ œœ œœ ˙˙ ™™

PERUSAL SCORE { ?

3 &4

∑

Ó

##˙˙ ™™

&

mp

Piano

? 3 œœœœ Œ 4

Œ

Œ

œ

˙™

˙™

œ

˙™

f

6

Edg.

U Ó

° Œ ¢ & œ œ bœ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ j ˙ ™ œ ‹ Tru ly meat y.

And your horns are sim ply su perb.

-

-

j œ™ œ œ Ó œ œ Mag - nif - i- cent,

-

U # ˙ ™ Œ œ #œœ # ˙˙ ™™ ˙™ ˙™ # ˙ ™##œœ œ ˙˙ ™™ ∑

mag-

PERUSAL SCORE { 6

™ œ™ & #œœ ™ bœ ™

œ ˙ ˙™

œ ™ bœ ™ #˙™

? Œ

bœ

˙™

Œ œœœ œ

˙™

˙˙˙ ™™™ ˙™

œœœ œ

˙™

˙™

∑

∑

œ 13

° & œ ™ œj bœ Ó ‰bœj ˙ ™ ‹ nif i cent, su - perb.

- ? ∑ ∑ ∑ Edm. ¢

∑

Edg.

˙™ gracious

∑

∑

Ó

œ #œ ™ œj œ How

gen - er ous

PERUSAL SCORE { œ œœœ

13

bbbœœœ bœœœ #œœ œ

∑

&

? Œ bœ

Œ

bœ œ bœ

Œ

bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœœœœ Œ œ

∑

Œ

˙™

˙™

bœ ˙™ Copyright © 2008 by Justine F. Chen and David Brock. All Rights Reserved.

Authorized for use by ISSUU.

˙™

œ

Œ

PERUSAL SCORE

2

Chicken or Beef?

realizing something's afoot

< q = q > œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ j 4 œ 3 ˙™ œ Œ #œ ‰ ‰ J 4 4

20

°? œnœ œ™ œJ œ ˙ Edm. ¢ of you

Thank you.

Wait...

No, you're the bull ev' ry cow wants as the fa - ther of her

veal.

< q = q > 20

n˙ œœœ ∑

Œ

œ

∑

& ? Œ

Œ

˙ w

3 ˙˙ ™™ 4 3 ˙˙™™ 4

4 4

Œ

˙ ˙

4 4

Œ

{ œ

˙ ˙ b˙ bœ ˙™

PERUSAL SCORE interrupting f q = ca. 96

26

amused

° Edg. & Œ ˙ ‹ Veal? ? ∑ Edm. ¢

∑

#œ œ œ œ 3œ 4 3 œ #œ 2 œ œ 4 œ œ #œ #œ œ œ

Œ Œ

I be - lieve there's a love - ly lit - tle heif er

Œ ‰ œJ œ I mean

œ ‰ œ œ J calf.

4 4

wait ing for

∑

∑

3 2

∑

∑

3 2

A calf...

26

q = ca. 96

& ˙˙ ™™ ˙™ ? ˙™

˙˙ ™™ ˙˙ ˙˙™™

œ

4 4

{ PERUSAL SCORE ˙™ ˙™

w 4 #w w 4

w w w

3 2

Slower q = ca. 96 31

° 3 Edg. & 2 œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ you, in the build ing where the trac tors ?3 ∑ Edm. ¢ 2

4 4 #w

∑

2 4

∑

4 4

live.

f mp

4 4

U Œ œ ™ œ #œ œ œ 2 ‰ œJ œ œ 4 4 4

∑

Where the trac -tors live?

Why don't we

Slower q = ca. 96 31

4 Ó 4#w

{ PERUSAL SCORE 3 &2

w™ ?3 w w™™ 2

∑

4 bw 4 Œ #˙

˙

œ œ

Chicken or Beef?/Brock-Chen Authorized for use by ISSUU.

w w w w w

2˙ 4˙ 2˙ 4˙ ˙

4 4 4 4

PERUSAL SCORE Chicken or Beef?

3

a tempo

q = ca. 60

35

° 4 &4 ‹

Edg.

∑

∑

U œ#œ#œ Œ #œ ™ œ #œ#œ ™ #œ œ œ™ Œ

∑

Glad ly

Af -ter you,

U œ œ œ #œ #œ #œ œ#œ #œ œ #œ ˙ ™ 4 ?

J Edm. ¢ 4 J

broth er...

œ™# œ ∑

Ó

Œ

go there and ask her which of us she pre - fers?

Af - ter

q = ca. 60 35

4 <n>w & 4 <#> w

U Ó ˙ ˙™ #w ˙™ U nw ˙™ Œ #˙ # œœ ˙˙ ™™

w w w w w

? 4 <b>w 4 <#> w <n> w

{

Œ

Œ

Œ

j œ‰ Ó b œ. bœ. ‰ J bœ

Œ

PERUSAL SCORE bœ-

a tempo

U ‰ œ œ 2 #œj™ ≈ ‰ 4

œ œ 1 #œ 4

> Suddenly Serious q = ca. 108 œ #œ ™ 4 ∑ 4

I in - sist.

I in - sist

more...

40

° Ó Œ & ‹ #œ# œ ™ œ n œ bœnœ œ œ U ? Œ Edm. ¢ Edg.

you,

big

3

2 ‰™ œR#œ#œ œ ‹œ 1 J 4 4 3

broth er...

No, I

∑

4 Œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ 4

in - sist...

Are you stall ingbe-cause it's

Suddenly Serious q = ca. 108 40

PERUSAL SCORE { & Π?

bœ-

j œ‰ Œ b œ. bœ. ‰ J bœ

U Œ

2 4

U Œ

2 4 #œ. # œ .

∑

1 4

1 4 #œ.

∑

4 4

∑

w 4w w 4

innocently 44 3

° & ‹

Edg.

∑

‰ œœ œ

∑

∑

œ™ œ œ

Is to - day slaugh -ter day?

spitefully/tragically?

? œ™ œ ˙ ™ ∑ Edm.

¢

3 ‰ #œJ œ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ #œ œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ 3

PERUSAL SCORE slaugh -ter day?

You've al - ways wan - ted all this land to your - self,

but I can't be

44

∑

∑

w

&

p

w ? bw w

w w w

#w

w w

#w

w

{ Chicken or Beef?/Brock-Chen Authorized for use by ISSUU.

PERUSAL SCORE

4

Chicken or Beef?

48

b œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ U ™ °? nœ 3œ bœ bœ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ J œ œœ œ Edm. ¢ 3 lieve you'd use trick er y

to take ad - van -tage of yourtrust ing, less meaty bro- ther.

And with my mad cow dis ease

48

& bw bw ?

w w w

w w w

nw ∑

∑

{ MAD COW NOISES - notes/rhythms are indicated, but singer can ad lib facial movements, if so desired - jfc

ad lib. œ.

#œ œ œ ¿ .œ b œ. . œ n œ. œ. b œ. . œ œj ¿ œ œ

poco rit.

PERUSAL SCORE ~~~~~~~~ 3 Y ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 4 3

brr brr brr brr

-

~ ~~~~~

~~~~~

°? œ Edm. ¢

~~~

51

~

6

6

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha a - yee, ayee yk yk yk

~U j™~~~~U ~ ~ ~ ~ ‰ ‰ ≈4 ~ ~ ¿ ~ ~ ~ ¿ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~~~~ brr

-

brr

51

3 4

& w w w ?

˙˙ ™™™ ˙

3 4

∑

{

U ˙˙ ˙

4 4

Œ

∑

4 4

∑

Acquiescent q = ca. 55 54 3 3 ° 4 ‰ j j 3‰ j 3 4 ™ œj œ œ œ ™ ≈ ‰ œ œ œ # œ œ œ 4œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ 4 #œ œ œ ¢& 4 œ œ ‹ You're right,you're right.

Be - tween the two of us, I'mthe one who should go.

I'm des -tined to be

PERUSAL SCORE { Edg.

54

Acquiescent q = ca. 55

4 &4 w w w

3 4

˙˙ ™™ ˙™

4w 4w w

?4 w 4w

3 ˙™ 4 ˙™

4w 4w

e = ca. 88 57

Edg.

° ˙ 6 œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ ™œ œ Œ #œ œ #œ #œ nœ œ Œ ¢& J 8 ‹ beef. I'm big ger, I'm strong er, I'm in my prime. The cows do pre fer

nœ ‰ œ

U #œ #œ ™ J

me.

PERUSAL SCORE { 57

e = ca. 88

& w w w ? w w

6 bœœ œœ 8J 6 œJ œ 8

œ bœJ bœ J

œ œ œ bœ œ bœ

j œœ œœ ™™ œ œ™ J

Chicken or Beef?/Brock-Chen Authorized for use by ISSUU.

∑

œ # œ #œ œ œœ

U bœ ™

#œ œ œ bœ #œ #œ œ œœ œœ #œ

PERUSAL SCORE Chicken or Beef?

5

62

mournful, plaintive

° œ ™ ¢& ‰ œ œ œ œ œ ™ ‹ I'm a piece of meat.

Edg.

Œ

j œ ™™ œ ™ 3 3 3 œ œ œ œœœœœœœbœœ œ™

A

j œ ‰‰ Œ

Ϊ

piece of meat.

®œ œ œ

meat

mmm

62

j œ & #œ œœ ? ##œœJ œœ

{

j œœ œœ œœ œœ J

‰ œœ œœ b œœ œœ ‰

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

j œœ œœ œœ b œœ J

œœ J œœ J

œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœ bbœœ œœ

œœ

œœ œœ œœ ‰ œ œ #œ œ œœ œœ œœ ##œœ œœ ‰

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

PERUSAL SCORE Piu Mosso- The Challenge

q = ca. 92

67

Edg.

° œ™ & ‹ meat

Œ ™ œ œ ™ ‰ Œ ™ 4 ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ Œ 4 meat.

œ ™bœ œ Œ

Œ

And I'm a fast er run - ner.

Ó

Yes, I am.

snaps

? ∑

4 4

∑

Edm.

¢

∑

Œ

nœ ™ Œ œ œœ œ œ œ

œ #œ #œ nœ œ Œ 3

3

You are not fast er.

Then I chal lenge you to a

Piu Mosso- The Challenge

q = ca. 92 67

suddenly energetic

PERUSAL SCORE { ™ 4 w & ‰ œœ œœ œœ ™™ ‰ œœ œœ œœ™ 4 w ™ w ? ‰b œœ œœ œœ ™ ‰ bbœœ œœ œœ™™ 4 bbw 4

Œ

œœ .

œœ .

Œ

œœ .

b œœ. œœ.

œœ .

p

∑

∑

72

° ‰ j & œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ First one to where the trac-tors live? ? œ Œ Ó Edm. ¢

∑

Œ

œ™ œ

Edg.

race.

œ Œ

∑

Onyour mark...

b˙

œ

œ bœ ˙

Œ

ΠYou'll

be

so rry.

Ó

œ œ œ ™ bœ Do you want a

PERUSAL SCORE { 72

œœ œ

˙™

Œ

& œ b œ. ?

œœ .

œœ .

œ. ˙ . bbœœ ˙˙

œœœ

∑

œœœ b ˙˙ b˙

b œœœ ˙˙˙ b œœ œ ∑

œœœ

Chicken or Beef?/Brock-Chen Authorized for use by ISSUU.

PERUSAL SCORE

6

Chicken or Beef?

76

° Œ & ‹ ? bœ Edm. ¢

‰ œj œj ‰ Œ

Edg.

∑

6 8

∑

Get set...

3

bœ

head

Ó

‰ œJ œ

Œ

start?

j œ bœ ™

œ bœ œ œ

6 8

Ó

And Dad thought you were the smart one.

76

& œ ˙ œœ bb ˙˙ ?

˙˙ ™™ ˙™ ˙™

œ bb œœ œ

œœœ ∑

{

6 8

w w w w

6 8

PERUSAL SCORE ° 6 œj ‰ ‰ ¢& 8 ‹ Go!

Edg.

Ϊ

∑

∑

6 &8 ?6 8

{

‰ œ œ œ œ ≈ œr

∑

You were al - ways the

>œ œ œ œ > > # œ >œ >œ #>œ œ#>œ œn œ #œ œ J J n ™ Œ Œ bœ œ bœ b œ > f n>œ œ œ œ œ ‰ bœ bœ ‰ ∑ ∑ bœ

q. = ca. 60 79

Slower, Elegiac e = ca. 124

BULL EDMUND TAKES OFF TOWARDS WHERE THE TRACTORS LIVE. BULL EDGAR DOESN'T MOVE. HE GRAZES

q. = ca. 60

79

Slower, Elegiac eœ=œca. 124œ œ

œ œ œ™ J J

J

pp

∑

& #˙ ˙˙ ™™™

PERUSAL SCORE cresc.

f

84

° j ¢& œ œ ‹ fast - er. œ œ 84 & J

Edg.

{

&

Ϫ

‰ œ œ œ œ™ œ œJ œ I knew you'd be

œ œ J

˙˙˙ ™™™

the win - ner.

Ϫ

œ œ J

‰ œ œ œ œ œ

Ϫ

œ œ J

#˙˙˙ ™™™

I'll toast you from my

œ œ J

œ œ J

˙˙˙ ™™™

œ œ J

n˙ ™ b ˙˙ ™™

88

dim.

j #œ ° œ œ™ b œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ #œJ œ Edg. ¢& J ‹ pas - ture, while they roast you for their din - ner. œ œ œ œ ˙™ œ œ œ œ 88 J J J & J

˙™

˙™

PERUSAL SCORE œ œ J

œ œ J

˙™

dim.

{

& b˙˙ ™™ b ˙™

œœœ ™™™

œœœ ™™™

b˙™ b ˙˙ ™™

Chicken or Beef?/Brock-Chen Authorized for use by ISSUU.

˙˙ ™™ ˙™

˙˙ ™™ ˙™