From the State of Emptiness | Catherine Dalton | MusicSpoke

HSP-104-01B

From the State of Emptiness / Dalton / SATB, suspended cymbal, frame drum

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From the State of Emptiness for SATB choir, suspended cymbal and frame drum

Hickory Street Publishing 路 hickorystreet@comcast.net 路 www.catherinedalton.net

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

Program Notes From the State of Emptiness blends memories of Tibetan monks chanting heard during my travels in the East with the melodic shape and texture of Western chant. In weaving these two styles together my intention was not to emulate any one style of sacred music, but to bring my own sacred experience to the creation of new music.

Performance Notes From the State of Emptiness uses the techniques of Harmonic Singing and Harmonic Humming (see instructions below) made popular in Western choral singing by Sarah Hopkins. For purposes of this piece, the sound produced using these techniques is meant to be both both a reflection and symbiosis of the Dung-Chen, a long trumpet-like instrument, and Tibetan sacred chanting.

This overtone-rich drone provides the base for the chant “Om Mani Padme Hum” and the English text, both of which should be sung using the head voice with no vibrato - similar to Gregorian chant.

Finally, although the tempo should be free and breath marks are noted, the song needs to have a consistent sense of forward motion. *Harmonic Humming: Beginning with a resonant “O,” close you lips to a “hum.” Now raise or lower your tongue slightly letting it touch the roof of your mouth in different places to hear the changes in the harmonics. You can also make slight changes in the spacing of your teeth. The sound should be very resonant and forward. Although, you will be singing the same note, you will hear different harmonics within that note. **Harmonic Singing:Begin with a forward placed and resonant “O,” then change the shape of your mouth to make the following sounds, mm - o - or - ar - rr - ree. This will make a “second voice” that includes the overtones that are a part of the bass fundamental you are singing. You will want to focus your mouth to get a clear sound.

Accidentals: Accidentals are not repeated for repeated notes unless one or more different pitches intervene.

Percussion: This piece calls for a double-sided frame drum hit with a stick. This produces a dry sound with little resonance. Because the drum is played with a single stick, the drum roll will inevitably be uneven. This is intentional.

“Om Mani Padme Hum”: This common mantra, inscribed on rocks, musical instruments, prayer flags and prayer wheels in Tibet, cannot be easily translated and yet is said to contain the entire teachings of the Buddha. In addition to the numerous translations, there are numerous variations on the pronunciation of this mantra. Below is a phonetic guide which approximates a Tibetan version.

Phonetic Guide

Om

Man-

i

Pad-

me

Hum

Dictionary Pronunciation

ōm

mä

nā

pä

mā

hoom

IPA

oum

mɑ

ne

pɒ

meı

hum

________________________________________ “Yet the fact remains that we are invited to forget ourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance.”

“... the very motion of our life is towards happiness...”

Thomas Merton

The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

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From the State of Emptiness for SATB choir, suspended cymbal and frame drum†

Catherine Dalton Ancient, eternal Senza Misura Soprano

&

Alto

&

Tenor

Bass

V ?

10 - 12 sec.

 w

P, œ

1/3 of the basses and tenors using harmonic humming

U

Om* 1/3 of the basses and tenors using harmonic humming



P, œ

U

w

Om*

Sus. Cymbal played with stick

ã

Frame Drum played with stick

ã

T

| p

Û Û ÛÛ Û

p

 V w Om*

Sus. Cym.

ã

Fr. Dr.

ã

P ten. bw

|

Û

Û

| @

| @

| p

| Û Û ÛÛ Û

p

Û

12 - 15 sec.

w

P

| P

w Û

Û |

Û

[Silence]

| P | P

P ten. bw

 ? w Om*

B

|

[Silence]

Û

Û

Û

Û

| @ | @

†Also available for SSAA choir, suspended cymbal, frame drum and cello

, œ

, œ

[Silence]

[Silence]

| p

| p

© 2009 Catherine Dalton, ASCAP • HSP 104-01B • Hickory Street Publishing • 651-426-9284 • HickoryStreet@comcast.net • CatherineDalton.net

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

2 A

S

A

From the State of Emptiness

Freely q = 84

p œ

U

Light, straight tone as if beginning in emptiness ten.

&

Om

p œ

œ œœ œ w

Man - i Pad-me

Hum

w

U

Light, straight tone as if beginning in emptiness ten.

&

Om

p œ

œ œœ œ w

Man - i Pad-me

Hum

w

U

Light, straight tone as if beginning in emptiness

T

B

V ?

Om

 w

œ œœ œ w

Man - i Pad-me

Hum

w

p

1/3 of the basses using harmonic humming

Om*

&

From the state of

emp - ti - ness

B

A

From the state of

emp - ti - ness

T

B

w

Hum

œ œœœ œ w

Om Man -i Pad-me

 w

,

U

w

Hum



w

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

w

œ-

œ œ œ w

of

œ-

œ œ œ w

of

œ

breath - ing the sweet breath

sky

œ

breath - ing the sweet breath

[Silence]

life.

V w ?

Om Man -i Pad-me

[Silence]

the self flows free - ly to the

&w &

[Silence]

sky

C

S

U

[Silence]

V œ œ œ œ œ œ w ?

,

w

Hum

œ œœœ œ w

the self flows free - ly to the

Stagger breathing

T

,

Om Man -i Pad-me

ten.

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

& œ œ œ œ œ œ w Stagger breathing

A

,

œ œœœ œ w

[Silence]

,

U

ten.

Om*

B

S

,

life.

p œ œbœ œ œ w Stagger breathing

Om Man-i Pad-me

Hum

P œ œ œ œ œ œ w

From the state of emp - ti -ness,

the self flows deep with - in

P œ œ œ œ bœ œ w

œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ

P w

From the state of emp - ti -ness,

w

œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ

the

the self flows deep with - in the

(m)*

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w

earth

w

earth

From the State of Emptiness

S

& œ œ- œ œ œ œ w

T

B

,

œ w

a-wak-en - ing what once was

A

V œ œ- œ b œ œ b œ w a-wak-en - ing what once was

A

œ nw

a - sleep.

T

B

p œ œbœ œ œ

be-comes the

w

We,

œ œ œ

œ

& œ œ œ œ

w

œ œ œ

œ

be-comes the

I

We,

be-comes the

I

be-comes the,

Hum

w

We,

w

I

be-comes the

We,

I

be-comes the

We,

œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ

V ?

w

Om Man-i Pad-me

& œ œ œ œ

I

w

bw

w

,

A

, , ,

T

B

, ,

w

,

V w

,

V w ?

emp - ti - ness,

From the state of

emp - ti - ness,

œ œ œ œ bœ œ w

P w

(m)*

the

œ œ bw

Self be - comes

bœ nw the

Whole.

Self be - comes

the

Whole.

Self be - comes

bœ œ w

œ

w

Whole.

bœ nw

E

œ œ œ œ

From the state of

w

œ œ œ œ

Om

From the state of

œ œ w

emp - ti - ness,

œ œ w

emp - ti - ness,

Hum

w

p œ

Om

œ œ œ œ

w

œ œ œ œ

w

the self flows free

the self flows free

w

P w Om

œ bœ œ œ w

Man - i Pad - me

From the state of

[Silence]

& w &

emp - ti - ness,

œ œ w

(m)*

S

P œ œ œ œ œ œ w

From the state of

,

w

I

œ œ œ œ œ œ w

Stagger breathing

&

?

D

a - sleep.

(m)*

S

3

(m)*

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4

S

A

From the State of Emptiness

& w &

F

10 - 12 sec.

B

w

B

w

ã | |

w

A

Om

Man - i Pad -me

Hum

Om

Man - i Pad -me

Hum

w

| |

Û Û Û ÛÛÛ | æ

| F

l.v.

o

or

ar

rr

ree

** Harmonic Singing: Gradually change the shape of your mouth to make the indicated phonemes in any order.

As everyone sings you will hear the shimmering of high harmonics. (See performance notes for more detail)

V w

(m)

?

o

or

ar

rr

ree

** Harmonic Singing: Gradually change the shape of your mouth to make the indicated phonemes in any order.

As everyone sings you will hear the shimmering of high harmonics. (See performance notes for more detail)

w

o

or

ar

rr

ree

& w &

(m)*

w

(m)*

T

B

V w ?

Hum

w w

** Harmonic Singing: Gradually change the shape of your mouth to make the indicated phonemes in any order.

As everyone sings you will hear the shimmering of high harmonics. (See performance notes for more detail)

(m)

S

Man - i Pad -me

F " P œ œ œ bœ œ œ w

(m)*

(m) Small group (2-3 T on part)

Om

Om

V w

&

Hum

F " P œ œ œ bœ œ œ w

40 - 60 sec.

A

w

Man - i Pad -me

œ œ bœ œ œ w Man - i Pad -me Hum F " P œ œ œ bœ œ œ w

(m)*

Sus. Cym.

œ

Om

V w

?

w

F " P

(m)*

T

F " P œ œ œ bœ œ œ w

(m)*

w

(m)*

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From the State of Emptiness

5

15 - 20 sec.

p

slowly, one by one, everyone returns to a resonant hum

S

& w

(m)*

p

slowly, one by one, everyone returns to a resonant hum

A

&

w

(m)*

p

slowly, one by one, everyone returns to a resonant hum

T

V w

(m)*

B

?

p

slowly, one by one, everyone returns to a resonant hum

w

(m)*

G

S

P

& w &

w

P bw

(m)*

T

V w

P bw

Om

B

?

w

Om

Sus. Cym.

Fr. Dr.

ã ã |

fade to nothing

P

(m)*

A

15 - 20 sec.

|

| p

|

Û Û Û Û Û Û | | P Û Û Û Û ÛÛ | | | | æ P

fade to nothing

w

fade to nothing

w

fade to nothing

| p

| p

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.

More Music by Catherine Dalton Choral boundless joy (Dalton) | SATB choir and narrator Come from Far, Come from Near (Dalton) | SATB a cappella Dancing in the Street (Dalton) | SATB a cappella | TTBB a cappella Everything Is As It Should Be (Dalton) | SATB, soprano soloist and piano From the State of Emptiness (Dalton) | SATB, sus. cymbal, frame drum | SSAA, sus. cymbal, frame drum, cello Fly with Me (Dalton) | SSA, piano I Know a Woman (Dalton) | SATB choir, soprano soloist My Box (Lauren Dalton) | SA, piano O My Friends What Can You Tell Me of Love (Mirabai, trans. by Hirshfield) | SATB choir with optional hand drum, finger cymbals/windchimes and tambourine One Mind, One Heart (Lee Her/Kristen Maier) | SATB, piano, claves, small gong, hand drum Out Beyond Ideas (I’ll Meet You There) (Rumi, trans. by Barks, O’Shaughnessy) | SAB/SATB choir and piano She Rises (Dalton) | SSAA double choir, a cappella Sweet Radiant Mystery (Dalton) | Four part chant The Flute of the Infinite (Kabîr, trans. by Tagore) | SATB a cappella, optional flute, hand drum The Path You Walk Upon (Dalton) | SATB, piano, violin | SSA, piano, violin | SA, piano Today will be warm: A Story Cloth in Sound (Kao Kalia Yang) | SATB, Tibetan hand chimes, djembe, hand-chimes You Who Are Also There (Hadewijch II, trans. by Hirshfield) | SATB divisi, a cappella

Solo Voice Fly with Me (Dalton) | Solo voice, piano Magnolia Trees (Vikram Seth) | Solo voice, piano Siana (Dalton) | Solo voice Silent Tears (Dalton) | Solo voice, piano Turning into April (Ann Bushnell) | Solo voice, piano Hickory Street Publishing · catherine@catherinedalton.net · www.CatherineDalton.net

This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.