Snapshots Lisa Neher
for Low Voice and Piano 6 minutes 2010 D.C. al Platypus Publishing Company
2 Program Note: The texts for this cycle were found in the University Daily Kansan newspaper’s “Free-For-All” section, in which readers anonymously submit short impressions of their day. Amid the rather ordinary rants about exams and raves about the local bar scene were these seven “snapshots” of life, which seemed to naturally leap from words to music. They are designed to go together as a cycle or to be used as memorable encore pieces. Each song in this set is dedicated to one of my mother's seven brothers. They are my advisers and my playmates, my teachers and my friends. And they can always make me laugh. Texts: 1. Crocodiles Crocodiles are ornery cuz they got all them teeth and no toothbrush. 2. Rain Rain brings out all the strange things people do to avoid it. 3. Sneaky Squirrels To the nineteen squirrels who are sitting in a circle on my front lawn: What are you planning? 4. A Simple Request I really wish my friends would stop talking about their babies. I hate babies! 5. Turtle Fence A turtle fence is exactly what you think it is. It is a fence that keeps turtles from getting hit by cars. 6. Tuesdays and Thursdays The best part of my Tuesdays and Thursdays is getting to talk to you on the bus. 7. Spoiler Alert! Nutcracker Spoiler Alert! The Rat King dies. About the Composer: Portland, Oregon composer and mezzo-soprano Lisa Neher (b. 1985) writes theatrical, story-driven music for instruments and voices. Trained as a stage actress, her compositions are shaped by her keen sense of dramatic timing and feature aching, lyrical phrases, energetic rhythmic motives, and intense harmonies. Lisa’s particular passion for text and poetry has led to works such as her chamber opera White Horizon, about a nineteenth-century Arctic expedition gone wrong. She often draws inspiration for her instrumental works from the natural world, expressing the joyous bubbling of streams, the delicacy of sprouting plants, and the eerie mystery of deep ocean life with evocative timbres and vivid motives. Lisa’s commissions include works for Durward Ensemble, the Glass City Singers, Coe College Symphony Orchestra, Kirkwood Community College Chamber Singers, pianist Michael Kirkendoll, and flutist Rose Bishop. Her marimba duo Thaw was premiered by Mayumi Hama and Chris Froh at the Sacramento State Festival of New American Music. She is a fellow of the Cortona Sessions for New Music and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music. Lisa is in high demand as a performer of contemporary and standard repertoire and is the creator of the One Voice Project, a one-woman performance combining contemporary poetry and new musical works for unaccompanied voice chosen through a call for scores initiative. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance & Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, a Masters of Music in Composition from the University of Kansas, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Theatre from Lewis & Clark College. She served on faculty at Grinnell College, Coe College, and Kirkwood Community College, teaching applied voice, vocal seminar, and applied composition. Lisa spends her free time training for and competing in triathlons, watching science fiction movies, and baking delicious treats involving copious amounts of chocolate. For more information, visit her website, www.lisanehermusic.com.
3
for Patrick Harvey
1. Crocodiles Anonymous Text Voice
pp
5
mp
croc
-
o
-
diles
are
9
pp
and
f
no
p
Croc - o
- diles
are
or - ner - y
mf
mf
cuz
they
got
p
p
mp
or - ner - y
p
with playful grumpiness
Piano
Lisa Neher (ASCAP)
the singer may use a musical theatre/cabaret style if desired
q = 92-96 with sincerity
all them teeth
mf
tooth -
f
mf
brush.
mf
p
Copyright © 2010 by Lisa Neher (ASCAP) D.C. al Platypus Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. Composer must be informed of all performances at lisanehermusic@gmail.com. Thank you!
f
4
for Daniel Harvey
2. Rain
Anonymous text Voice
q = 60, dolce
Piano
11
ritardando poco a poco
to
a void
it.
mf
rain
brings
out
f
with great freedom
rain
3
all the strange things
mp
f
ritardando poco a poco
p
beaucoup de pedale soft pedal as needed 6
mp
Rain
p
p
peo -ple do
p
5
for Barney Harvey
3. Sneaky Squirrels Anonymous Text
q = 72 dark and ominous
Voice
Piano
p
(pedal as needed)
cir - cle
10
( )
plan
-
on my front
ning?
lawn:
in
a
p
are you plan - ning?
mf
sit - ting
What are
you
mf
p
What
5
To the nine - teen squir -rels who are
p
mp
(
n)
6
for Michael Harvey
4. A Simple Request Anonymous Text Voice
q = 108
dark
mp
p
I
smoldering
Piano
f
p
wish
with a slight snarl
I
f p
mf
p
real - ly wish
9
f
I
mf
3
I
broadly
wish
3
real
3
-
-
my
friends
would
3
3
ly
wish
stop
stop
f
mp
5
(light pedal as needed)
12
ff
3
mf
talk -ing a -bout their
mp
3
ba
-
mf
bies.
f
I
7
f speech-like
hate
ba - bies.
mp
8
for John Harvey
5. Turtle Fence
Anonymous Text q = 76-80 informatively
Voice
p
A
lightly
Piano
5
p
tur - tle
fence
a
mp
9
with great freedom, quasi-recitative mp
XX
It
is
a fence
X
X
mp
tur -tle fence
mf
that keeps tur - tles from get - ting
is ex - act - ly what you think it is.
Strict time mf
hit by Strict time
mf
cars.
a
mf
11
fence
with great freedom, quasi-recitative X X
p
tur -tle
mp
p
9
for James W. Harvey
6. Tuesday and Thursday Anonymous text q = 63 with motion
Voice
3
mp
mf
with warmth and tenderness mp
The best
3
part
mp
mf
talk to you
bus.
the
poco rit
3
is get -ting to
mp
mp
A tempo
poco rall. A tempo mf
mf
13
on
3
mp
mf
of my Tues - days andThurs - days
(with pedal)
5
9
with warmth and tenderness
Piano
p
3
10
for Kenneth Harvey
7. Spoiler Alert
Anonymous Text q = 108-112
Voice
sinister
Piano
p
f
(light pedal as needed) mp about to burst from excitement
5
L.H.
mf
R.H.
R.H.
L.H.
mp L.H. Spoil -er
a - lert!
Spoil -er
mf
9
Spoil -er
a - lert!
mf
a - lert!
f
Spoil -er
a - lert!
L.H.
f
f
Nut -crack - er spoil - er a - lert!
13
L.H.
R.H.
R.H. L.H.
L.H.
ff
Rat King
f
dies.
mf
The