Derek Bermel Wanderings for Woodwind Quintet
In Jerusalem’s Old City, the Muslim and Jewish quarters exist side by side. There are no absolute boundaries; those that are identified exist largely through a mix of tradition, community, and fear. Similarly, the musical threads continuity appear and While strolling between the In Jerusalem’s OldofCity, the Muslim andsuddenly Jewish vanish, quartersremaining exist sideelusive. by side. There are no absolute Wailing Wall and the Arab Market, an outsider may find a peculiar fascination with the interaction of these boundaries; those that are identified exist largely through a mix of tradition, community, and fear. Similarly, worlds whose fates of have been inextricably together. The first movement of Wanderings, “Giftthe of the musical threads continuity appear and twisted suddenly vanish, remaining elusive. While strolling between Life,” is a musical representation of this duality. Wailing Wall and the Arab Market, an outsider may find a peculiar fascination with the interaction of these worlds whose fates have been inextricably twisted together. The first movement of Wanderings, “Gift of “Two fromrepresentation Nandom” isofbased on gyil music of the Daghati and Lobi peoples, who live in Life,” isSongs a musical this duality. Northwestern Ghana, Southern Burkina-Faso and Northeastern Côte d’Ivoire. The gyil is an eighteen-key instrument resembling a Western slabs of mahogany bound who with live animal “Two Songs from Nandom” is marimba. based on Tuned gyil music of carved the Daghati and wood Lobi are peoples, in hide to a sturdy wooden frame. Each key has its own gourd resonator; crushed and flattened spider webs are Northwestern Ghana, Southern Burkina-Faso and Northeastern Côte d’Ivoire. The gyil is an eighteen-key seared with resembling rubber overaholes carved in the gourds, buzzing membranewood as thearekeys are struck. instrument Western marimba. Tuned creating slabs of acarved mahogany bound with animal hide to a sturdy wooden frame. Each key has its own gourd resonator; crushed and flattened spider webs are The stories the main songs, as related Bernard Woma, are as follows: seared with surrounding rubber over holes carved in the gourds,by creating a buzzing membrane as the keys are struck. Kola Per Bir, jo kol’ no op… The cat asleepWoma, under aare tree; enemy the mouse The stories surrounding the main songs, as related byfell Bernard as his follows: saw his opportunity, and bit the cat’s testicle, whereupon the died. Kola Per Bir, jo kol’ no op… Thecat catpromptly fell asleep under a tree; his enemy the mouse saw his opportunity, and bit the cat’s testicle, whereupon Baatazaa, you have so many women the cat promptly died. Baatazaa, please give me one (Baatazaa is a great chief) Baatazaa, you have so many women
Baatazaa, ne no ne pulle Baatazaa, fu ir ben kume Baatazaa, ne no ne pulle Baatazaa, fu ir ben kume
Baatazaa, please give me one (Baatazaa is a great chief) Wanderings was commissioned by the New York Youth Symphony/FIRST MUSIC 11 and was premiered at Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall in March 1995. Wanderings was commissioned by the New York Youth Symphony/FIRST MUSIC 11 and was premiered at IWeill acknowledge and thank theinfollowing gyil players or their assistance and support: Ngmen Baaru, Abu Hall in Carnegie Hall March 1995. Kowie, Richard Na-Ile, and Mark Stone. —Derek Bermel EXPLANATION OFassistance SYMBOLS I acknowledge and thank the following gyil players or their and support: Ngmen Baaru, Abu Kowie, Richard Na-Ile, and Mark Stone.
EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS
—Derek Bermel
unmetered, free
EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS free EXPLANATION OFunmetered, SYMBOLS
FEXPLANATION OFunmetered, fluttertongue free SYMBOLS F fluttertongue 1F multiphonic, fingering fluttertongue at player’s discretion; 1
1
multiphonic, fingering emphasize written note. at player’s discretion; PERFORMANCE NOTES emphasize written note. multiphonic, fingering at player’s discretion; In “Gift of Life,” tempos should breathe freely emphasize and flow seamlessly from one section to the next despite PERFORMANCE NOTES written note. abrupt shifts in mood throughout. During the “klezmer-tangos,” melodies should be played quite loosely, glisses manipulated primarily theand lip flow ratherseamlessly than the diaphragm. Multiphonic (as In “Giftand of vibrato Life,” tempos should breathe with freely from one section to thefingerings next despite in the second movement) are at the player's discretion, but should always emphasize the written note. abrupt shifts in mood throughout. During the “klezmer-tangos,” melodies should be played quite loosely,
glisses and vibrato manipulated primarily with the lip rather than the diaphragm. Multiphonic fingerings (as In performance practice, are twoat gyil playersdiscretion, play along a drummer. Songs the are written strung note. together and in the second movement) the player's butwith should always emphasize combined; it is not uncommon for a gyil player to sing and play for over an hour. Thus, a more accurate PERFORMANCE NOTES rendition of the songs in “Two Songs from Nandom” might be produced by repeating each phrase twenty or In performance practice, two gyil players play along with a drummer. Songs are strung together and thirty times. The original harmony is pentatonic, several of the notes falling between pitches of the Western PERFORMANCE NOTES combined; is nottempos uncommon forbreathe a gyil player to sing and play for over hour. Thus, a more In “Gift of itLife,” should freely and flow seamlessly fromanone section to the nextaccurate despite chromatic scale. rendition of the songs in “Two Songs from Nandom” might be produced by repeating each phrase twenty or abrupt shifts in mood throughout. During the “klezmer-tangos,” melodies should be played quite thirty times. The original harmony is pentatonic, several of the notes falling between pitches of the Western PERFORMANCE NOTES In “Gift of Life,”and tempos should breathe freely and with flow the seamlessly to the Multiphonic next despite loosely, glisses vibrato manipulated primarily lip ratherfrom thanone thesection diaphragm. chromatic scale. abrupt shifts mood throughout. During should beemphasize played quite fingerings (as in the second movement) are atthe the“klezmer-tangos,” player's discretion,melodies but should always the Duration: 8 the minutes In “Giftnote. of Life,”and tempos should breathe freely andca. flow seamlessly to the Multiphonic next despite loosely, glisses vibrato manipulated primarily with lip ratherfrom thanone thesection diaphragm. written abrupt shifts mood throughout. During should beemphasize played quite fingerings (as in the second movement) are atthe the“klezmer-tangos,” player's discretion,melodies but should always the Duration: ca. 8 minutes written note. loosely, glisses and vibrato manipulated primarily with the lip rather than the diaphragm. Multiphonic In performance practice, two gyil players play along with a drummer. Songs are strung together and fingerings theuncommon second movement) are at the player's discretion, butanshould the combined; (as it isinnot for a gyil player to sing and play for over hour. always Thus, a emphasize more accurate written note. In performance gyilSongs players playNandom” along with a drummer. Songs strung together and rendition of the practice, songs intwo “Two from might be produced byare repeating each phrase combined; it is not uncommon for a gyil playeristopentatonic, sing and play for over annotes hour.falling Thus, between a more accurate twenty or thirty times. The original harmony several of the pitches In performance practice, two gyilSongs players playNandom” along with a drummer. Songs strung together and rendition of thechromatic songs inscale. “Two from might be produced byare repeating each phrase of the Western twenty or thirty times. The original harmony several of the pitches combined; it is not uncommon for a gyil playeristopentatonic, sing and play for over annotes hour.falling Thus, between a more accurate
Grammy-nominated composer and clarinetist Derek Bermel, “one of the most original voices of American music” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram), has been widely hailed for his creativity, theatricality, and virtuosity. Bermel studied ethnomusicology and orchestration with Andre Hajdu in Jerusalem; he later traveled to Bulgaria to study the Thracian folk style, to Ghana to learn the Lobi xylophone, and to Brazil to study caxixi. This engagement with other musical cultures has become part of the fabric and force of his compositional language, in which the human voice and its myriad inflections play a primary role. Bermel’s commissioners have included the Pittsburgh, National, Boston, Saint Louis, New Jersey, and Pacific Symphonies, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, WNYC Radio, eighth blackbird, the Guarneri and JACK String Quartets, Music from China, Copland House, violinist Midori, electric guitarist Wiek Hijmans, Schoenberg Ensemble/Veenfabriek (Netherlands), Jazz Xchange (U.K.), and Figura (Denmark). Bermel has worked for many years as the artistic director of the American Composers Orchestra, and has enjoyed multi-year residencies at the Institute for Advanced Study and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. An innovative educator, Bermel was the Founding Director of the New York Youth Symphony’s Composition (formerly Making Score) program. He is Institute Director of Copland House’s CULTIVATE program for emerging composers, and also mentors young composers in the American Composers Orchestra’s Underwood Readings, Playing it Unsafe, and CoLABoratory programs. Bermel’s discography features three critically-acclaimed discs: an all-Bermel orchestral recording that includes his clarinet concerto Voices (BMOP/sound); “Soul Garden,” a disc of his small ensemble/solo music (New World/CRI); and “Canzonas Americanas,” with Alarm Will Sound (Cantaloupe). Bermel is the founding clarinetist of the chamber ensemble Music From Copland House. Among Bermel’s many awards are the Alpert Award in the Arts, Rome Prize, Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellowships, the Trailblazer Award of the American Music Center, and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; commissions from the Koussevitzky and Fromm Foundations; and residencies at Yaddo, Aspen, Banff, Tanglewood, Bellagio, Copland House, Sacatar (Brazil), and Civitella Ranieri (Italy). Bermel holds B.A. and D.M.A. degrees from Yale University and the University of Michigan. Notable among his composition teachers are William Albright, Louis Andriessen, William Bolcom, Henri Dutilleux, Andre Hajdu, and Michael Tenzer.
Wanderings I. Gift of Life Derek Bermel (1994)
= 69–72 Flute
ten.
ten.
Oboe with greater intensity
dark, severe ten.
ten.
Clarinet in B with greater intensity
dark, severe
Horn in F with greater intensity dark, severe like a gong
Bassoon with greater intensity dark, severe like a gong
= 60 ad lib.
5
calm, distant ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
more relaxed
more relaxed
more relaxed
colla parte (flute)
more relaxed
colla parte (flute)
Š Copyright 2002 by X Pyre Music All Rights for the World Exclusively Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd. Lib Ives
poco animato
2
hold back
= 100, getting faster
in tempo
10
molto vib.
stile di klezmer *
stile di klezmer
sim.
sloppy, loose
**
sloppy, loose
returning to
= 112
15
ord.
Tempo I ( = 69–72)
poco accel. Move! ( = 80)
19
11
as before
ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
as before
as before
as before * Each note accented, quasi glissando ("lipped" down). ** Use side key. Lib Ives
9
3
suddenly slower
in tempo
23
sub.
molto ten.
sub. more relaxed
26
short
*
short
short
6
poco murmuring, airy
short
**
short
poco murmuring "subtone" ca. 6–7"
ca. 6–7"
Stark, unforgiving ( = 88–92) 27 6
6
6
6
6
(murmuring)
6
6
7
3
fleeting
senza vib.
3
fleeting poco
poco
poco
poco
poco
poco
senza vib.
unforgiving
poco * Flute and Clarinet fragments repeat 2 or 3 times, ca. 6–7 seconds. Flute and Clarinet are asynchronous—there should be no ensemble silences. ** Clarinet enters after Flute. Continue fragments until Flute cue at end of measure. Lib Ives
poco
4 29
3
6
6
6
6
6
6
5 5
sim.
sim.
31
6
6
3
6
5
6
6
6
3
3
incisive
5
3
incisive
33 6
6
3
6
Lib Ives
6
6
6
3
5
non rit.
35
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
murmuring "subtone"
Slightly more marked ( = 80) 37
senza vib.
unforgiving senza vib.
unforgiving 6
6
6
6
6
6
5
6
3
5
3
39
6
6
6
6
6
fltg.
3
Lib Ives
6
ord.
7
5
6
fltg.
ord.
3
6
accel. 41
6
6
6
6
6
6
6 5
3
3
incisive
3
5
incisive
3
(accel.) 43
6
6
6
3
6
6 6
6
6
3
3
3 3
7
molto accel.
= 90
45
long
huge and fearsome long
huge and fearsome gliss.
6
6
6
6
huge and fearsome rip
3
3
5
long
huge and fearsome
5
cutting
cutting
3
long
calm 5
Lib Ives
long
huge and fearsome
7 47
moving ahead
= 60
senza vib.
calm
con vib.
calm
rit.
molto rit.
= 76
52
calmly
calmly
stile di klezmer
stile di klezmer
sloppy, loose
calmly
56
Mean and grinding ( = 69), getting faster until the end
molto vib.
molto vib.
sim.
sloppy, loose sim.
Lib Ives
sloppy, loose
8 60
= 120
= 138
(accel.)
(accel.)
exaggerated vib.
63
exaggerated vib.
gliss. with hand
molto vib.
66
(accel.)
ord.
molto vib.
molto vib.
(long gliss.) ord.
Lib Ives
9 fltg., vib. ord.
69
= 144 (accel.) snarling
snarling snarling
(accel.) 72
molto
= 160
accel. al fine fall off
75
exaggerated vib. fall off
exaggerated vib. fall off
brassy
Lib Ives
10
(accel.)
fltg.
ord.
78
al fine multiphonic
al fine
ord. slap tongue
rip
al fine
al fine multiphonic
al fine
81
1
*
*
*
*
* 2
8va
84 like a shriek
like a shriek
12
like a shriek
rip
6
like a shriek
12
11
like a shriek * cresc. second time only. Lib Ives
12
11
II. Two Songs From Nandom Zestfully ( = 100) Flute out of nowhere, cresc. poco a poco
Oboe *(ko la
(ko la
per bir)
Clarinet in B
Horn in F
Bassoon (jo kol’
7
per bir)
(jo kol’
no op)
* Instruments "speak" the lyrics of the songs. See performance notes. Lib Ives
no op)
12 13
19
morendo
25
legato
legato
Lib Ives
13 31
36
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
41
cresc.
sub.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
Lib Ives
sub.
14 45
sub.
51
sempre
sempre
sempre
sempre
sempre
56
Lib Ives
15 61
(Baa ta
zaa)
(Baa ta
(ne
no
ne
pul le)
zaa)
(fu
ir
ben
ku me)
66
multiphonic
multiphonic
71
Lib Ives
light
16 77
plainly, quasi monotone
legato (smooth)
fltg. ord.
plainly, quasi monotone
81
smooth
fltg. ord.
cresc. poco a poco
85
(cresc.) fltg. ord.
Lib Ives
fltg.
ord.
17 89
fltg.
(cresc.)
cresc.
93
(cresc.) fltg.
ord.
ord. fltg.
97
monumental
fleeting
monumental
monumental open
monumental fltg.
ord.
monumental
Lib Ives
subdued ord.
fleeting
18 102
106
fltg. ord.
resolutely
resolutely
111
fltg. ord.
resolutely
sub.
Lib Ives
19 poco
115
poco
a bit tentative
poco a bit tentative
poco
non rit.
122 fltg.
(growl)
(like crickets)
(like crickets)
flaccid
ord.
128
(poco)
Lib Ives
20 132
pochiss. rit.
molto rit.
weighty
weighty
weighty
weighty
weighty
= 160 subito
ord. fltg.
136
slightly abrasive
slightly abrasive
slightly abrasive
ord.
140
Lib Ives
fltg.
molto pesante
21
= 138
= 92
molto rit.
144 weighty, listless multiphonic fltg.
weighty, listless
fltg.
fltg. ord.
multiphonic
= 108 reviving slowly‌
molto accel. al fine
148
ord.
fltg.
= 60
fltg.
ord.
fltg.
ord.
(accel.)
152 3
shorter and crisper
6
shorter and crisper fltg.
ord. 5
multiphonic
Lib Ives
22
Joyfully ( = 80) (accel.)
fltg.
fltg.
ord.
ord.
156
multiphonic
sim.
(ossia 8va bassa)
(accel.)
fltg.
molto accel. ord.
fltg.
ord.
160
(end ossia)
Hectic ( = 108) 164
Lib Ives
(accel.)
23
Wild, prestissimo
(accel.)
168
(accel.) 172
sub.
(accel.) 177
G.P. (short)
Glorious ( = 168)
fltg.
G.P. (short)
G.P. (short)
fltg.
G.P. (short)
G.P. (short)
Lib Ives
multiphonic
brassy fltg.