"Jailhouse" and (pavane for a dead infant)

Matthew Peterson

jailhouse and

(pavane for a dead infant)

scene for mezzo solo and chamber ensemble libretto by Matthew Peterson and Jason Zencka

Matthew Peterson (2009)

jailhouse and

(pavane for a dead infant)

scene for mezzo solo and chamber ensemble (fl, cl, perc, pno, vln, vla, vc) libretto by Matthew Peterson and Jason Zencka duration c. 7'

libretto

note by the composer This "scene" is taken from the chamber opera Voir Dire, my second collaboration with librettist Jason Zencka.

In a way, it's less an operatic scene or aria as it is a narrative ballad, a song. The (pavane for a dead infant) which follows jailhouse serves as an epilogue to this tragic soliloquy.

I've never been so cold before, as in this jailhouse corridor.

Remember, I'm from Florida.

Wisconsin isn't like the South, the winter turned me inside out.

The protagonist and narrator in this scene is a woman who is choosing not to post bail on a public intoxication charge, so that she can stay in the jail. She is homeless in winter and has nowhere else to go. She tells the story of how she got to this point: a previous terminated pregnancy, misplaced but very human faith in a man, deception, abuse, and infanticide. It is a story about a woman who has little left but her humanity.

It took my fingers in its mouth.

It's not like I'm some kind of whore, but I'd been pregnant once before.

I didn't want a kid, you know?

But Daniel said he'd marry me, the words were planted like a seed.

We drove for seven fucking days.

His kiss: a taste of cigarettes and breath mints.

Not bliss, but I was pregnant and afraid. I was messed up, so when my sister asked I called it love.

Why'd I go?

I don't know.

Far from home, warmth won't find me.

He had a cousin here, he said, but someone caught him selling meth.

We got a motel room instead.

But all that Daniel did was drink, smoke weed, and puke into the sink.

I tried to leave; I did it for my kid.

But Daniel wouldn't let me go.

He called me "bitch," said I'm a ho.

He punched me in the stomach.

One hit.

I was pregnant maybe five months.

One punch.

My lungs were emptied.

Still drunk, Daniel drove me to the hospital, then left.

My skirt became a bed of blood, they took my baby out in clumps.

Each wore two pair of latex gloves.

Why mourn?

The world is cold, we're better off stillborn, before our aching hearts become forlorn, before our grief begins to seem boring.

I think I'd rather be alone.

I have no other place to go.

I know I've never been so cold before.

This story, and many others inspired by real court cases, join to form a unique libretto inspired by Jason's experience as a crime-reporter in Stephen's Point, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

instrumentation flute bb clarinet percussion ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

marimba vibraphone glockenspiel crotales med. bass drum med. tam-tam 4 tom-toms (low to high) 2 suspended cymbals (sm. and med.) brake drum w/ hammer

piano (+ toy piano) mezzo or soprano soloist violin viola cello!

instructions for performance 1) c score: percussion that transposes at the double octave (i.e. crot., glock.) are notated at their written pitch, but transposition is shown by clef. Bb Clarinet only indicates type of instrument, not transposition in the score.

2) toy piano: at one point in the piece, the pianist will need to play toy piano and piano simultaneously. The toy piano should be placed to the right of the pianist. A model that can play a C major scale, is required. The instrument should preferably sound one octave higher than the written pitches, but this is not required. Celesta may be substituted if a toy piano is not available.

3) soloist: the soloist is encouraged to act her role facially and physically (please read composer's note). While this piece was written with a classically trained voice in mind, it is flexible enough to accomodate a rock/pop or musical theater style. The rhythms are purposefully simple, to allow flexibility for a natural declamation of the text. Therefore, the singer should not always align with the subdivisions of the ensemble, but should strive for an appropriate mode of expression with respect to the indications in the score, the immediate musical moment, and the conductor's tempo.

4) dynamics (for all musicians) are not absolute but are relative to the context in which they occur. "Hairpin" cresc. and dim. symbols without a dynamic marking afterward indicate a change within the context of the previous dynamic.

5) vibraphone motor should be used where called for and at the indicated relative speed

notes and symbols s.p. indicates sul ponticello, m.s.p. indicates molto sul ponticello n.v. indicates non vibrato l.v. or

indicates let vibrate

flut. over a tremolo note indicates fluttertongue dampen percussion bass drum should be muted where indicated hold pedal until complete fade grace notes always occur before the beat crescendo from niente diminuendo to niente > normal accent,

hardest accent

flute tongue-ram (t. rm.)

suggested percussion setup

c score

jailhouse

duration approx. 7' libretto by Matthew Peterson and Jason Zencka

q = 50 coldly 

 

Bb Clarinet



Matthew Peterson (2009)







     

                                       Percussion   pp pp p pp

 Mezzo-soprano  

Violin







p

















    

  

III

p

 Fl.

Cl.

 





7   





M-S.



    

  

 



3



mem - ber I'm

 Vln. 

Vla.

mp

 



from



  

   

 Fl.



 

 

p





Vln.









p







p





pp dolce ord. poco vib.



pp dolce

 

        

mf

mf

 

mf



     

mf



  

    





mp

pp





p

mp





mp





 

mp



 

 

   







 





 f







 



f



It's

 

m.s.p.

  pp



  



mf

mouth.

 

mp

  

 

took my fin - gers in its

ord.



mf

     





        

   



mf chest voice

      







ord. poco vib.



  

p



Wi scon - sin is - n't like the South,the win - ter turned me in - side out; it

p





 poco accel.  

                  

p

p



re-

      

 

pp

 

 

m.s.p.

 

 

m.s.p.



mf

 p sub.

f

p sub.

f





mf

 

















            f          













    

not

ord. n.v.

Vla.



 like

    

I'm some kind of whore,

  but

I'd



  

been

preg - nant once



 

be fore;

 I



 

did - n't want

n.v.

ord. vib.





 

n.v.

ord. vib.

 

n.v.



mp ord. n.v.

Vc.

   



q = 60 poco agitato

13        



mp dolce

                 



pp

p

p I

 

mp



pp sub.

mf icily

M-S.





p

mp

     Cl.  

Pno.



       p 



p dolce

s.p.

III IV

mf icily

Perc.

mf

s.p.







 

  

p

Vc.

   

pp





p

p

this jail - house cor - ri - dor;

 

p



in

         p 





mp



Flo - ri - da.

       p  



p dolce

mf

         



 



p

 



 



pp

Perc.



p

        





p

           

p

I've nev - er been so cold be - fore,as







          



I

Violoncello



p sostenuto

 

Viola

  pp         

ppp

Marimba, med. yarn

 

mp ord. n.v. mp

  

 

ord. vib.



 a

p

    kid,

you







Copyright © 2009 Matthew Peterson, all rights reserved



 

dolce

But

n.v.





f

molto vib.



p

know?

molto vib.



mf



n.v.



f

molto vib.



f

n.v.



 

2

più mosso q = 66, dolce

17   



mp warmly

Cl.







  



mp warmly

 



  





Dan - iel





 

said he'd mar - ry

 pizz.   





mf dolce

pizz.



mf dolce

Vln.

  

Vc.

mf

 

His

 

  

kiss: a taste of



like



a



mp marcato sempre





  

 





f



we

drove

for

   mf

mf       

 

sev - en





fuck - ing





mf To B.D. (con sord.), toms

p sub.

 



      f





days.





   

arco, n.v.



   

 

  

arco, n.v.









p

         



 







mp

 

 

not

  

 

mp

  

               

fp



arco

fp marcato sempre

mf



I was





messed

up,

          so when my sis - ter asked I called it

        



mf



 

 

mf

mp

  

 

               

fp

         



           

p sub.

 

bliss.But I was preg - nant and a - fraid,

       



mf

    

fp



mf

                    

    

 

         

mp

mf

mf

  

p

mp marcato sempre

  

   











 

                       











         







pizz.



mf

               





  

t. rm.

mf

                   

    

seed;





mp marcato sempre arco



 



   

cig - a - rettes and breath - mints,

            

Vla.





3

plan - ted

21         Fl.                mf mp marcato sempre             Cl.  

M-S.

     











q = h agitato affetuoso 







p

ord. vib.  

 









 Vc.  





the words were

arco



 

 

me,

mf dolce

Vla.









               

mp

Vln.





 





        Pno.   M-S.







mp warmly

 

Perc.





Fl.

 

mf



mf

           mf p sub. 







p sub.

p

 Fl.

Cl.

Perc.

Pno.

M-S.

Vln.

Vla.

27   









 









sotto voce mp





f



f



f

mf espress. (n.v.)

        p

p

f

n.v.





marcato sempre      



  





  

              





 

  

            

   f

p sub.

mf

                   I

   

mf



 

mp

       



 

  

    





don't

f

mp

sub p



    

  

p

f

mp sub.

 f

f



 f

mf





I

       



                         



    



    



go?

 



mf espress



2 sus. cym., toms, B.D. con sord., med. yarn

Why'd ord. vib.

       

     

mf mf

love.

f

Vc.

  



    



Susp. cym









mf



know.



          

 

  







    

f



     

mp

 

mp

  

sub. mp

 

 

  

f

Fl.

Cl.

33   

















 



mf





 mf

 

flut.

mf





p sub.

f

  fp

 

mf

Pno.

M-S.





       















 

from

  

 



f





 



 









 











home;



 



mf espress.





mf espress.

 

won't



ff





f





flut.   

f

f

  

sub. p



f



mf



  

f







f



me.

  

sf

tam, hard yarn

s.p.

 



mf





find

 

ff

p

B.D. via sord.     

mf

warmth





3

 

                                            ff       





mf



 

    





Far

Vc.





 Vln.   Vla.



 

p sub.

                           Perc.                      mf p 

 

 

f

 m.s.p

 

m.s.p

ff m.s.p

fp

ff

p sub.

 

 Fl.

Cl.

38  











               



      

               



 Vln. 

Cl.

Perc.



 

 

 







 Vln. 

f

 



pp

         f sempre

 

Vc.





3



  

 pp

p

 

3

pp













pp





 







 

ff

         pp 3

 

3

  6



 





   

(pp)

f

 pp                        



 

 

 

 



sim



3



  

3

             

 

ff

f sub.

pp

        



6



II

pp

pp





                      

              

3



fp





 

f sub. p sf sim.





p







  

  



pp



 



 

2





pp

p f

        

pp mf                          



      



pp sempre



        



    I                                                                                 pp sub. pp sub. pp II



p

pp sub.

                         sim.



3



                                            

   

ff

Vla.

ff





Marimba, hard yarn mf





 







 

ff





Pno.



 q = q. moto perpetuo e agitato 

42  Fl. 

      

pp I

Vla.  









ff

3

    







3

3

3

fff

         

3

3

3 3             

ff

Pno.

      



p

p (B.D. senza sord., toms, cym.'s)

Perc.



ff pp sub.f

pp

sim.





p

ff

  

 II

ff fp

pp





 f

ff

                  

  

 



ppp

ff



n.v. sempre



p







ff

  

 

mp III

   pp

 

4

47  







Fl.

Cl.





Mar.



 



 



 



pp





  

ff

mf





2

2

 

 

f



2

 

 



     

       





 

 

 

      

    





Vla.

Vc.









  

 2

pp





 

III

 



f



2

 

 

ff

   





fp



  

  

  



p pp

mfp



  

  

  

  





  



 ppp

  







pp

mf





f



     pp

    



mf



f









  



   

 

 

      

pp

n.v.





 

 

3

3



pp

 

mf

pp

 

 



  

3



 

 





    

pp

 3

 

 

pp

Vibraphone, hard yarn pp sempre





        

mfp





IV





  pp

 

        ppp 

          

mfp

 

3





pp sempre



f



 

   mf



pp

 

p

ppp

 Vln. 

 

     

           



 

pp

 

p



 

2





Pno.



   

2



 



q. = q morendo poco a poco 









 

q=e

Fl.

Cl.

53  



 

Vib.

  

 

Pno.

M-S.







            



 















 

















     



pp



Tam tam, med yarn



p



pp sempre







mp, dark

 

     





m.s.p.

  

 

 

mf

 



mf







p

 



  

pp







 

pp

mp





a cou - sin here, he said,

  

   



  





   

but some - one caught him sell - ing meth.



 

   

 



  







m.s.p.





pp





    



3

         We got



a mo - tel room in - stead.

    



 

  

pp

m.s.p.





pp

pp



 

pp



pp











 





   





       

had



  

pp





 

p

(free bow, molto legato)

    

f

He

m.s.p.

Vla.

  





 Vln.  

Vc.





     pp









mf

mp





 

q = 50 icily, misterioso

rit.

 





Fl.

Cl.

Perc.

Pno.

59     



flut.   

 

3

p

f

          3



f







     

          

fp

3

   



 

 Vln.  

        

p



ord. molto vib.

 

Vla.

Vc.



3

p ord. molto vib

   p



3

3

f

fp



that

f

3

  3

f

fp

 

m.s.p.

sfz

   

      

fp

        

 





 

Vla.









Perc.

Pno.

M-S.





Vc.



sfz   

sfz

70  



 











  

 

 

ff

     

were emp -

tied.

       

mf

sfz

     





     

sffz

 

sffz













  

 

Dan - iel





drove me

to

 

 





  



 

  







    

  

One punch;

my lungs

ff

sffz



      ff



sffz









    

open



ff



 





sfzpp





 



 



 

mp







 



 

 





sfzpp











 

sffz





  





 

 sfzpp

sffz

ff

 left.

 

sffz brake drum w/ hammer

 



sffz

sfzpp

 



      sffz







 

sfz

ff





   

I was preg - nant may be five months.





 

toms, med. yarn 



hit;

the hos - pi - tal, then







sffz



drunk,



p

p

ff

   



   

     

     



Still



p

          

One





But









kid,

ff





sffz

   f





tom, B.D., med yarn

 



sffz









p

tom, B.D.

 

 

for my



 

p ord.

      sfz      





f

  Vln.  Vla.





vib. intenso sempre.

to leave; I did it

 q = h furioso 



sfz



         

open







f

     





mp



He punched me in the sto - mach.



    

ord.

    



f





  

said I'm a 'ho.'

f

Cl.



B.D., med. yarn

                      

mf

ord.

p







     

tried

            



vib. intenso sempre.

I

m.s.p.





 vib. intenso sempre.

Vln.    f

Fl.

mf

 





 

sfz

Dan - iel would - n't let me go, he called me 'bitch'



weed and puke in - to the sink.

 



 3 3       











  





    

 



      





did was drink, smoke

   









5

 

p







 

    

Più mosso q = 56, rubato appassionato



Vc.

 









p

    

 



Dan - iel

 

p cantabile

 

  

mp

sfz

       



M-S.

all



ord. vib.



pp

m.s.p.

64 Perc.   Pno.

 

pp





p

mp





But

3





    

ord. molto vib.



6

  

M-S.

n.v.



       

3

p

ad lib.



  sfzpp



ff



  

 

 

 

 

 

sffz

sffz

sffz

My













 

6

 

75  Cl.  

h=q più mosso q = 60, molto rubato 

          





        

         

fff screaming

M-S.

mf sobbing

skirt be - came a bed of blood They took my ba - by out in clumps

 Vln. 

q = 56 lacrimoso sostenuto

rit.



Each wore two pair of





 

 

 

p



 

pp molto sostenuto mp mezzo voce





la - tex gloves.



         



Why mourn?

 





The world is cold;we're bet - ter off

sul tasto n.v.

 

 

p molto sostenuto











 













 



Vla.

Vc.

sul tasto n.v.









p molto sostenuto

p molto sostenuto



Fl.

Cl.

Pno.

M-S.

Vln.

81   















Cl.

Perc.

M-S.





      

still - born

 



come

for -

   

lorn;

be - fore our grief be - gins

 













 



pp



Marimba, soft yarn

   

 



p



  



mp







 



 

 





mp dolce cantabile

    



  



           





p dolce espressivo





p





        pp

  



 pp    

  





ord. poco vib.

ord. vib.









mp

 



 

mp dolce cantabile

   

think

I'd rath - er be a - lone.



 

pp

   

pp

pp





 



  I

 

 

have no

oth - er

 

 



 



   









 

pp



I

       

know I've nev - er been so cold be

n.v.

 

pp

  pp

pp







p

 

attacca



    

place to go.

 



molto rit.

    pp                   pp 

           pp



 





ord. poco vib.

  

pp hard yarn





 

 



  

   

  





 





mezzo voce

p

q = 50 coldly 



  



mp

  



      

to seem bor - ing. poco vib.

 

sul tasto n.v.



    

p

87   



 



ord. poco vib.

 



 

sul tasto

Vc.





      

  



sotto voce, dolce



be - fore our ach - ing hearts be

  

Vla.



p

I

Vln.

   





Fl.



mp cantabile

   









  

Vla.

Vc.







ppp



poco vib.

pp

 









7

(pavane for a dead infant)

h = 44 andante lacrimoso (tempo di pavane) 

93  

Cl.

M-S.







  





















fore.

Vln.

 























poco vib.















































poco vib.













molto legato sostenuto e cantabile





Vla.

Vc.





















pp molto legato sostenuto e cantabile









 







pp molto legato sostenuto e cantabile



99 Pno.  

Vln.

 







 





p

pp clear and ringing, like bells (sempre)













 





















 

  

 

  



 



































mp dolce































ord. vib.



p



 ord. vib





 



p

 

Vla.

Vc.



 























mp dolce



ord. vib.





mp dolce

p



Fl.

Cl.

105    









  







 













   



p







 



 



  



 



  



mp





 

p











mp





mp



Vibraphone, med. yarn (motor off)

p



mf

mp

 

Pno.



mp dolce

 Glockenspiel, brass      p

Perc.



   



 

 





 











 



 



  



 













mp dolce







 













dolce

 





mp











 





   



  

mp like bells sempre

 Vln. 





































mp

 

Vla.

Vc.





 









 







 



  



p





mp



mp sostenuto





8 Fl.

Cl.

Perc.

Pno.

111   



 

 mp dolce

  



 











 



 















 









 Fl.

Cl.































mf dolce

 











 







mp

 

 

 



  



 

p

mp













 









 





dolce



 

mp



 

p

mp





mp

mf

mf



 mp

p

mp

  

  



 

 

 

 







  







 



Crotales, brass



 

     





mp



   





 







 















 

mf





 

mf

mp

 

   



 



 



 

  

  

  

 

 



















p

p

mp



mp



p









Vibes, brass  Glockenspiel, brass







  









 



 

        



f



Vibes, med. yarn







 



 

















Perc.

Pno.





III

mf









f

123   



 





Vc.

  









 Vln.  Vla.

p

mp

    



  



 

 







p sempre

  



 



IV

mp





p

mf





















III



II











 

















III



IV



III





II



III



simile





 







 



f





Crot., brass









mp









II











 





  

 



mf













I

 

III









mp







 Toy Piano





III Vc.







f



 

p sub.

f





p sub.

mf

 

mf





f



mf





 

p











f







mp

Tam-tam, med. yarn









f









p

mp











p







mf



mp dolce molto sostenuto

mp

        











mp





 





mf











mf dolce











  

Vla.

 





117  

 

Vln.

 

mp

 

Pno.





p

  

  

Perc.





mp dolce

mp

Vc.





mf

 Vln.   Vla.





  









 



II









simile































III



 

  

  

IV



 



  



129 

 

Pno.

9

Piano



(p sempre)

  

  







simile   Vln. 



 

 



p



 

 



  







p

Vla.



 

 



 

 









mp

 

 

 



 





p







Perc.

Pno.



135  











 



  







  Vln. 

 

I





  

 

pp

Vc.



 





mp

 

 



pp

 







pp

Vla.



 

 

mf











  

mf



Crot., arco



 



 



  

 

m.s.p.

m.s.p.



 

mf

p





 

m.s.p.

















mf









p

 vibes, arco motor on (fast)



p

 



mp like bells sempre

p



 





mp



 

mp

Vc.





 







mp

mf





 141 Pno.

 









*  

* pianist repeats until all other sustained piano pitches have faded completely

fade completely 



 

Matthew Peterson Visby, Sweden 4-1-2009 !