Plath Songs by ShawnKirchner

Plath Songs

for Mixed Chorus, Piano, and Percussion

Song

Poems by Sylvia Plath

Music by Shawn Kirchner

Commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale

Grant Gershon, Music Director

Through the generosity of the Swan Family

Morning

Mirror Lady Lazarus Tulips Poppies in October Child Blackberrying

PERUSAL ONLY

Morning Song

Love set you going like a fat gold watch. The midwife slapped your footsoles, and your bald cry Took its place among the elements

Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue. In a drafty museum, your nakedness

Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.

I'm no more your mother

Than the wind that distills a miror to reflect its own slow Effacement at the wind's hand.

All night your moth-breath Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen: A far sea moves in my ear.

One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral

In my Victorian nightgown. Your mouth opens clean as a cat's. The window square

Whitens and swallows its dull stars. And now you try Your handful of notes; The clear vowels rise like balloons.

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

  Copyright © 2013 by Shawn Kirchner, with permission of Faber and Faber Ltd. and the Estate of Sylvia Plath Tubular Bells SOPRANO ALTO TENOR BASS ppp q = c. 84 Love p energico setyougoing,- Lovesetyougoing-likeafatgold Love p energico setyougoing,-Lovesetyougoing-likeafatgold Love p energico setyougoing,-gogoing--likeafatgold ...like mp afatgold           

19 February 1961                                                                               PERUSAL ONLY

    mf 5 watch. mf The mf watch. mf The mf watch. mf watch. mf mf midwife-slappedyourfootsoles,- andyourbald 8 and mf your                                                plenty of pedal throughout  S, A   T, B                                                                                                                                                                                  2 PERUSAL ONLY

    cry f Tookitsplace among-theel e-ments. 11 cry... f among-the ele-ments. f Our p voicesecho,-magni- fy mf ing, magniA 14 Our p voicesecho,- magni- fy mf -ing,-magniOur p voicesecho,- magni- fy mf Our p voicesecho,- magni- fy mf ing, p A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 3 PERUSAL ONLY

This page has been intentionally deleted to protect the copyright of this score. To purchase, please visit: ShawnKirchner.com SKPublishing I II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III

    We mp standroundblankly- aswalls. A tempo, more or less, with liberties 34 We mp standroundblankly- aswalls. We mp standroundblankly- aswalls. We mp standroundblankly- aswalls. ppp I'm mp B39 I'm mp p B                          (only a few sopranos on top) straight tone   straight tone    straight tone   straight tone                                                                                                                                                                                   5 PERUSAL ONLY

    nomoreyourmother- Thanthecloud thatdis 43 ...no p whispery moreyourmothernomoreyourmother- Thanthecloud thatdis ...no p whispery moreyourmothertills amirror- to mp reflect-itsown slowEf 46 dis p amirrortills amirror- to mp reflect-itsown slowEf dis p amirror                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   6 PERUSAL ONLY

      face atthewind's hand. 50 ...wind's pp hand. face atthewind's hand. ...wind's pp hand. pp All pp soft-edged nightyourmothbreathPoco allarg. A tempoC54 All pp soft-edged nightyourmothbreath-flickers...-C All pp soft-edged nightyourmothbreath-flickers-among-theflat pinkroses.58 flickers-among-theflatpinkroses.                                                                  Sopranos                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           7 PERUSAL ONLY

    62 I mp waketolisten:- A pp far sea, A p espress. far sea mf mp ppp 66 A pp far sea moves in my afar sea moves in my A pp far sea moves moves a pp far seamovesinmy                                                 (Tubular bells)                                                                                                                                                                                    8 PERUSAL ONLY

espress.

    D71 ear. One mp cry, mf andIstumble-frombed,cow espress. heav -y-and ear.One mp cry, mf andIstumble-frombed,cow

heav -y-and One mp cry, mf andIstumble-frombed,cow

heav -y-and ear.One mp cry, mf andIstumble-frombed,cow espress. heav -y-and D floral- InmyVicto-ri-an-nightgow(n).- (oo) 76 floral...- ...nightgown.- Your p mouthopens-cleanasacat's. floral...- ...nightgown.floral...- nightgown.- Your p mouthopens-cleanasacat's.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           9 PERUSAL ONLY

    niente ...its pp dull stars. Take time A tempo 81 ...and p swallows...- And mp nowyoutryYourhandfulof ...and p swallow(s)...- (oo) The mp window-square whitens...- Andnowyoutry Your mf mp mf 87 ...you mp tryYourhand ful mf -ofnotes;Yourhandful-ofnotes; notes; mf Yourhandful-ofnotes; (oh) mf ...youtryYourhandful-ofnotes; handful-ofnotes;tryYourhandful,-Yourhandful-ofnotes; mp cresc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           10 PERUSAL ONLY

    mp E91 The mp clear vowelsrise The mp clear vowelsrise mp  E The mp clear vowels 95 like balloons. The mp clear vowels like balloons.                 A   B II      notes need not be uniformly smooth, some accents here and there, like random coos or cries or calls, with swells and ebbs too              S II    T II / B I                                                                                                                         11 PERUSAL ONLY

    The mf99 rise like bal loons. The mf rise like bal loons. clear vowelsrise like balloons. 102 The mp clear vowelsrise like balloons.   S I  (S II)    T I  (T II / B I)                                                                                                                         12 PERUSAL ONLY

  The mp clear vowels F106 clear vowelsrise like balloons. The mp clear vowelsrise The mp clear vowelsrise like balF   Altos      falsetto  B II                                                                        13 PERUSAL ONLY

    rise like balloons. 110 The p clear vowelsrise like balloons. loons. likeballoons.114        only falsetto                                                                                                                                 14 PERUSAL ONLY

Mirror

I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.

Whatever I see I swallow immediately

Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.

I am not cruel, only truthful--

The eye of a little god, four-cornered.

Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.

It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long

I think it is part of my heart. But it flickers.

Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me,

Searching my reaches for what she really is.

Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back, and reflect it faithfully.

She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.

I am important to her. She comes and goes.

Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.

In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman

Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.

29 October 1961

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

    Copyright © 2013 by Shawn Kirchner, with permission by Faber and Faber Ltd. and the Estate of Sylvia Plath Triangle Vibraphone Piano Matter-of-factly e = 152 mppp mp p I mp amsilver-andexact.- Ihavenoprecon-cep-tions.- Whatev-er-I I mp amsilver-andexact.- Ihavenoprecon-cep-tions.- Whatev-er-I                      

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p p 15 I pp havelookedatit solongI mp thinkitispartofmyheart. Butitflick ers. I mp havelookedatit solong Ithinkitispartofmyheart.Butitflick er(s.) I pp havelookedatit solongI mp thinkitispartofmyheart.Butitflick er(s.) I mp havelookedatit solong Ithinkitispartofmyheart. Butitflick ers.                                               3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3   3 33 3 3   3 33 3 3    3 3 3 3 3   3 3 3 3 3          3 3 3 3 3 3   3 3 3 3 3 3   3 3 3 3 3 3    3 3 3 3 3 3   3 3 3 3 3 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            3 PERUSAL ONLY

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     Now mf Iamalake. Iamalake. NowIama 33 Now mf Iamalake. Iamalake. NowIama mf mf 38 A mf woman-bendsover-me. Searching-myreaches-forwhatshereallyA mf woman-bendsover-me. Searching-myreaches-forwhatshereallylake. Iamalake. lake. Iamalake. mp mf mp mf                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           5 PERUSAL ONLY

     43 is. Thensheturnstothose liars, f thecandles-orthemoon. is. Thensheturnstothose liars, f thecandles-orthemoon. Iamalake. Iamalake. mp f 47 I mf seeherback,andreflect-itfaithful-ly...I mf seeherback,andreflect-itfaithful-ly...mf                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   6 PERUSAL ONLY

         ff 50 She ff rewards-mewithtears and f anagi-ta-tion-ofhands. She ff rewards-mewithtears and f anagi-ta-tion-ofhands. ff mf mp Tempo primo e= 152 55 mf pp mf pp pp mp pp mpp 59 I mp amimport-ant-toher. Shecomesandgoes.Eachmorn lazy sixteenths ing -itis I mp amimport-ant-toher. Shecomesandgoes.Eachmorn lazy sixteenths ing -itis                                                                                                             S,A   3   T,B   3                                                                                                                                                                                                                  7 PERUSAL ONLY

      62 herface thatreplac-es-thedarkness.p ultra smooth Inmeshehas drowned pp ayounggirl, herface thatreplac-es-thedarkness.p ultra smooth Inmeshehas drowned pp ayounggirl, herface thatreplac-es-thedarkness.p ultra smooth Inmeshehas drowned pp ayounggirl, herface thatreplac-es-thedarkness.p ultra smooth Inmeshehas drowned pp ayounggirl, pp mf 66 Andinmeanold wo p man-Ris mp mf es toward Andinmeanold wo p man-Ris es, mf risAndinmeanold wo p man-Ris es, mf risAndinmeanold wo p man-Ris mp mf es toward pp mf      333   333    333   33 3     3 3    3     3    3 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                   8 PERUSAL ONLY

    pp 72 ppmf mp her day p after-day,likeater ri-ble-fish. es,ris ris es es -toward toward her her day day p af af ter ter day, day, likeater ri-ble-fish. es,ris ris es es toward toward her her day day p af af ter ter day, day, likeater ri-ble-fish. mf mp her day p after-day,likeater ri-ble-fish. pp        3 3   3 3     3 3 3 3 3 3   3  3 3 3    3  3 3 3   3 3 3 3 3 3                                                                                                                                       9 PERUSAL ONLY

Lady Lazarus

I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it—

A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot

A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen.

Peel off the napkin O my enemy. Do I terrify?—

The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day.

Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will be At home on me

And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die.

This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade.

What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see

Them unwrap me hand and foot— The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies

These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone,

Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident.

The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut

As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls.

Dying

Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well.

I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call.

It's easy enough to do it in a cell. It's easy enough to do it and stay put. It's the theatrical

Comeback in broad day

To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout:

'A miracle!' That knocks me out. There is a charge

For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge For the hearing of my heart— It really goes.

And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood

Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy.

I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby

That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern.

Ash, ash— You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there—

A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling.

Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware.

Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air.

23-29 October 1962PERUSAL ONLY

Lady

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

        Copyright © 2013 by Shawn Kirchner, with permission of Faber and Faber Ltd. and the Estate of Sylvia Plath Bass Drum Piano pp Presto q. = 116 pp cresc. poco a poco 5 f ff secco 8 I f sempre marcato havedoneitagain.- Oneyearinev'ry- ten I I f sempre marcato havedoneitagain.- Oneyearinev'ry- ten I ff pff                                           

Lazarus

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     PERUSAL ONLY

        ff mp 11 manage-it Asortofwalking-mira-cle,- myskinBright asaNazi-lampshade,- my manage-it Asortofwalking-mira-cle,-skinBrightasaNazi-lampshade,f pp 15 rightfootapaper-weight,- myfaceafeature-less,-fineJew lin p en.-(n) rightfoot:paper-weight,-face:feature-less,-fineJew lin p en.-(n) p                                  rolled "r"  rolled "r'                  2   2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           2 PERUSAL ONLY

          19 Do f Iterri-fy?Peel mp offthenapkin- O mf myen e-my.cresc. poco a poco f 22 The f nose, theeyepits,- thefullsetofteeth?The The f nose, theeyepits,- thefullsetofteeth?The f sour breathwillvanish-inaday. 25 sour breathwillvanish-inaday. ff           S, A   B only T, B                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              3 PERUSAL ONLY

This page has been intentionally deleted to protect the copyright of this score. To purchase, please visit: ShawnKirchner.com SKPublishing I II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III

    Poco meno mosso A 36 This mf garishly isNum ber Three. This mf isNum ber, Three. This mp isNumbermf A ...Num p ber-Three. 42 Whatatrash Toanni- hi-late- each Whatatrash Toan ni -hi Three. ...Toanni- hi                                          loco          2 2 2      2 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      5 PERUSAL ONLY

    What p atrash Whatamillion,47 de cade. Whatamillion,- What f amillionlateeachdecade.- Whatamillion,late eachdecade.- What mf amillion,- What f amillionfil f a-ments.52 fila-ments.fil f a-ments.fila-ments.f                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 6 PERUSAL ONLY

    The f peanut-crunching- crowd(d) Shovesinto, 55 The f peanut-crunching- crowd(d) Shovesinto, The f peanut-crunching- crowdShoves, into, The f peanut-crunching- crowdShoves, shoves, f shoves f into, shoves mf intoseeThemunwrap-mehandandfoot---- The mp bigstrip Take a little time 59 shoves f into, shoves mf intosee... mp Thebigstrip shoves f into, shoves mf intosee... mp Thebigstrip shoves mf intosee mp mf Them unwrap-me, The big mp strip niente                       2                                       2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               7 PERUSAL ONLY

        sfzp slow cresc. mp p dim. poco a poco A tempo 65 tease. pp tease.Gen mp exhausted tle-men,- ladies- ThesearemyhandsMyknees. I tease. pp tease. pp I mp molto sostenuto 70 may beskin andbone,bone,(n) Never-the-less,- Iamthesame, iden-ti-calmay beskin andbone,bone,(n) Never-the-less,- Iamthesame, iden-ti-cal long, like a circus drum roll        2 2 2 2 2         2        A 22 222  B 2 2 2 2 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   8 PERUSAL ONLY

        niente < q. = q >B74 woman.woman.< q. = q >B pp p The child-like, airy, disembodied firsttimeithappened-Iwasten. Itwasanacci-dent.79 The mp second-timeImeantTolastitoutandnotcomebackatall. 83                                           S only     S, A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         9 PERUSAL ONLY

        pp 88 Irockedshut Asaseashell.- They pp hadtocallandcall They pp hadtocallandcall dim. poco a poco al niente ppp 96 Andpicktheworms offmelikesticky-pearls. Andpicktheworms offmelikesticky-pearls.    3 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        10 PERUSAL ONLY

        Dy pp ing-isanart,likeev'ry-thing-else.Idoitexcep-tion-al-ly-well.Idoitsoitfeelslikehell.I 103 Dy pp ing-isanart,likeev'ry-thing-else.Idoitexcep-tion-al-ly-well.Idoitsoitfeelslikehell.I doitsoitfeelsreal.IguessyoucouldsayI'veacall. It's pp easy-enough-todoitinacell. 108 doitsoitfeelsreal. It'seasy-enough-todoit... pp 113 It'seasy-enough-todoitandstayput. It's pp thethea-tri-cal- comebackIt'seasy-enough-todoit... It's pp thethea-tri-cal- comeback           SPOKEN (under the breath, not projecting, approximately at the written pitch) 3 33 3 3 3  3 3 3 3 3 3      3 only half-sung Easing into singing 3 3 3 3  3  Still spoken, hardly heard 3 3 3       33 3  Even fainter Now sung3 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          11 PERUSAL ONLY

        cresc. poco a poco < q = q. > Poco a poco accel. 118 in p broad day Tothesame place, thesame face thesame (m) bruteamused-shout: 'A sub. f in p broad day Tothesame place, thesame face thesame (m) bruteamused-shout: 'A sub. f < q = q. > Tempo primo (q. = c. 116)C123 p mira-cle!'- That mf knocksmeout. mira-cle!'- That mf knocksmeout. there mp marc. isa mira-cle!'- There p ma marcato isacharge Fortheeyeing-ofmyscars,there mp isa f p C                                 3 2 2 2  3   2 2 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          12 PERUSAL ONLY

        mp f mf 127 And mf thereisachargeaverychargeForthehearing-ofmyheart--itreally goes. f chargeForthehearing-ofmyheart--itreally goes. f Andthereisachargeaverymp mf f f 132 largecharge ...aword...atouchorabitofbloodOr sub. ff apieceofmyhairormyclothes. largechargeForawordoratouchorabitofbloodOr sub. ff apieceofmyhairormyclothes. ff                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   13 PERUSAL ONLY

        mf f 136 So, mf so,HerrDoktor.- So, f HerrEne-my.So, mf so,HerrDoktor.- So, f HerrEne-my.f mf f 141 I amyouropus,-I amyourvalua-ble,- The sub. p I amyouropus,-I amyourvalua-ble,- The sub. p sub. p                                                                                          sharp                    2       2    2   gliss.   gliss. gliss.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 14 PERUSAL ONLY

      f 144 pure gold baby- Thatmelts toashriek. f pure gold baby- Thatmelts toashriek. f I mf I mf f turn and burn, I turn and burn. 146 turnand burn, turn and burn. mf                          22  2 2 22 22          2222 2 2                                                                                                                                                                     15 PERUSAL ONLY

      Do mf notthinkIunder- est -i-mate- yourgreatcon 148 Do mf notthinkIunder- est -i-mate- yourgreatcon DoDo mf notthinkIunder- est -i-mate- yourgreatcon Do mf notthinkIunder- est -i-mate- yourgreatcon mf 149 cern. ff (yourgreatcon cern.) cern. ff yourgreatcon cern. cern. ff cern. ff ff                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  16 PERUSAL ONLY

Ash,

Flesh,bone,thereisnothing-there-

Ash,

Flesh,bone,nothing- there-

Ash,

Flesh,bone,nothing- there-

      f 151

f ash-Youpokeandstir.

A mp

f ash-pokeandstir,

f dim. poco a poco mp cakeofsoap,A p wedding-ring, A pp goldfilling.Allargando poco a poco153 cake mp ofsoap, wed p ding-ring, A pp goldfilling.cake mp ofsoap, wed p ding-ring, A pp goldfilling.ppp                                                                                   B only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          17 PERUSAL ONLY

        pp Tempo primo (q. = 116)157 pp cresc. poco a poco 161 f ff D 164 Herr ff God,HerrLu ci-fer-Beware- Beware.Herr ff God,HerrLu ci-fer-Beware- Beware.ff pff                                       S 2  A  2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           18 PERUSAL ONLY

    pp 168 Out f oftheashI Out rise f oftheashI Out f oftheash I Out rise. oftheash I Out f oftheash I rise. pp poco a poco cresc.                                                                                                                         19 PERUSAL ONLY

    mp mf ff Poco allargando A tempo171 Out f oftheash ff Out I ofthe rise, ash I, Out ff oftheashI rise, Out oftheash I ff Out rise, oftheash I, Out ff oftheashI rise. Out ff oftheashI Out ff oftheashI f ff Poco allargando A tempo                                                                                                                                                                                             20 PERUSAL ONLY

    p fff 174 rise withmyred hair And risewithmyredhair And risewithmyredhair And risewithmyredhair And                                                                                                                                                            21 PERUSAL ONLY

        177 I eat men like I eat men like I eat men like I eat men like ff 179 air. air. air. air. ff                                                                                               morph into scream   morph into scream                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   22 PERUSAL ONLY

Tulips

*The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here.

Look how white everything is, how quiet, how snowed-in. I am learning peacefulness, lying by myself quietly

As the light lies on these white walls, this bed, these hands.

I am nobody; I have nothing to do with explosions. I have given my name and my day-clothes up to the nurses And my history to the anesthetist and my body to surgeons.

I didn't want any flowers, I only wanted To lie with my hands turned up and be utterly empty. How free it is, you have no idea how free----

The peacefulness is so big it dazes you, And it asks nothing, a name tag, a few trinkets. It is what the dead close on finally: I imagine them Shutting their mouths on it, like a Communion tablet.

The tulips are too red in the first place, they hurt me. Their redness talks to my wound, it corresponds.

Before they came, the air was calm enough, Coming and going, breath by breath, without any fuss. Then the tulips filled it up like a loud noise.

The tulips should be behind bars like dangerous animals; They are opening like the mouth of some great African cat, And I am aware of my heart: it opens and closes Its bowl of red blooms out of sheer love of me. The water I taste is warm and salt, like the sea, And comes from a country far away as health.

18 March 1961

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

  Copyright © 2013 by Shawn Kirchner, with permission of Faber and Faber Ltd. and the Estate of Sylvia Plath SOPRANO ALTO TENOR The p tulips aretooexci-ta-ble,-itiswinter-here.Lookhowwhiteev'ry-thing-is,how Calmly, freely, with natural declamatory ebb and flow q = c. 60 The p tulips aretooexci-ta-ble...- Lookhowwhiteev'ry-thing-is,how Oo pp                                long 

    *Stanza 1 (complete), stanza 5 (complete), stanza 6 (lines 1 and 4), stanza 8 (lines 1-3), stanza 9 (lines 2-7)                                                              PERUSAL ONLY

      quiet,-howsnowedin.- I pp amlearning-peace ful-ness,-lying-bymyself-quiet-ly Asthe 6 quiet,-howsnowedin.- I pp amlearning-peace ful-ness,-lying-bymyself-quiet-ly I pp amlearning-peace ful-ness,-lying-bymyself-quiet-ly...lightlieson thesewhitewalls,thisbed, thesehands. più mosso poco a pocoA13 Asthelightlieson thesewhitewalls,thisbed,thesehan(ds).n mm I mp amnobo-dy;-Ihave I mp amnobo-dy;-Ihave 21 nothing-todowithexplo-sions.-Ihavegiven-mynameandmydayclothes-uptothenurses-andmy nothing-todowithexplo-sions.-Ihavegiven-mynameandmydayclothes-uptothenurses-andmy                                                                                                      N.B.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             2 PERUSAL ONLY

      poco meno mosso I p didn't-wantanyB27 niente I p didn't-wantanyhisto-ry-totheanes-the-tist-andmy mf body-tosurgeons.histo-ry-totheanes-the-tist-andmy mf body-tosurgeon(s).-n p flowers. Ionly-wanted-Toliewithmyhandsturnedupandbeutter-ly-empty.33 flowers. Ionly-wanted-Toliewithmyhandsturnedupandbeutter-ly-empty.oo How mp freeitis,youhavenoide-a howfree---- Thepeaceful-ness-is so 41 How mp freeitis,youhavenoide-a howfree----Thepeaceful-ness-is sobig it How mp freeitis,youhavenoide-a howfree---p How mp freeitis,youhavenoide-a howfree---p                                                                                                                                         N.B.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    3 PERUSAL ONLY

    bigit dazes- you. p poco più mosso pp C 47 dazes-you. niente And p misterioso itasksnothing,-anametag,afewtrinkets.- Itiswhatthedeadclose niente And p misterioso itasksnothing,-anametag,afewtrinkets.- Itiswhatthedeadclose 55 onfinal-ly.- Iima-gine-themShutting-theirmouthsonitlikeaCommun-ion-table(t).onfinal-ly.- Iima-gine-themShutting-theirmouthsonitlikeaCommun-ion-tablet.                                                                                               S      T  B                                                                                                                                                      4 PERUSAL ONLY

    mp The The pochissimo agitato tu tulipslips, are toored inthefirstplace, theyhurtme. p D 61 mp Thetulips-aretooredinthefirstplace, theyhurtme. Theirredness-talkstomywound,it oo they mp hurtme. p mp Theirredness-talks tomywound,it mp theyhurt me. p Be mf fore-theycametheairwascalmenough,67 corre-sponds.- Be mf fore-theycametheairwascalmenough,- Coming-andgoing,cor re-sponds.Be mf fore-theycametheairwascalmenough.... p Be mf fore-theycametheairwascalmenough.... p                                                             N. B.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              5 PERUSAL ONLY

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    sempre pp (it) it o opens- and pens closesits Its blooms bowlof red out blooms of outof love sheerlove of of me. me. The The93 sempre pp itopens-andcloses-Itsbowlofredbloomsoutofsheerloveofme. The The pp sempre pp The The wa water-Itaste teris is warm warm and and salt, salt, like like the the sea, sea, Andcomes from And 101 water-Itaste iswarm andsalt,likethesea, Andcomesfromacountrywater-iswarm,iswarmandsalt,like like the thesea, sea,Andcomes fromfar And awa wa ter-Itaste teris is warm warm and and salt, salt,like like the the sea, sea, Andcomes                          (only a few sopranos on top line)                       (to "m" on 2nd beat)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     7 PERUSAL ONLY

  far comesfromacoun a tryway... far away-as niente health. 108 far away,- andcomesfromacoun try-faraway- ashealth. comes way, from And far comesfromacoun a tryway, far a far waya as way health. ashealth. fromafar- as health.           (to "m" on 2nd beat)                                                                                            8 PERUSAL ONLY

Poppies in October

Even the sun-clouds this morning cannot manage such skirts. Nor the woman

Whose red heart blooms through her coat so astoundingly----

A gift, a love gift

Utterly unasked for

By a sky

Palely and flamily

Igniting its carbon monoxides, by eyes Dulled to a halt under bowlers.

O my God, what am I

That these late mouths should cry open

In a forest of frost, in a dawn of cornflowers.

October 1962

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

in the ambulance

  long pedals                                                                                                                                            PERUSAL ONLY

      p 9 Ev mp (enter gently) en-thesunclouds- thismorning- cannot-manage- such p 13 skirts Nor mp poco agitato thewoman- intheambu-lance Nor mp poco agitato thewoman- intheambu-lance Whose mf mp   S, A 3                                                                                                                                                                                                  2 PERUSAL ONLY

     mf 17 Whose mf redheartblooms throughhercoat so f astounding-ly Whose mf redheartbloomsthroughhercoat so f astounding-ly Whose mf redheartblooms ...throughhercoatso f astounding-ly redheartblooms ...throughhercoatso f astounding-ly mf f A mp espress. gift, a Poco rit. A tempo21 A mp espress. gift, a p delicato mp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             3 PERUSAL ONLY

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      mp 33 Pale pp ly-andflami-ly...- ...by mp eyes(z)Dulled toahaltunderflami-ly...- ...by mp eyes(z)Dulled toahaltunderniting- itscarbon-mono-xides,- by mf eyes(z)Dulled to mp ahaltundermp Meno mosso, poco a poco accelerando37 bowlers.bowlers.bowlers.pp                 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             5 PERUSAL ONLY

    O p my41 O pp my God, whatam poco a poco cresc. God, mf whatamI, f whatamI That ff Allargando 45 what mf amI, what f amI That ff I, what mf amI ff Allargando   SI         SII       A                                                                                                                                                                                                                       6 PERUSAL ONLY

      ff A tempo 49 theselatemouthsshouldcryopen,- thesemouths shouldcry That ff theselatemouthsshouldcry A tempo f dim. poco a poco Relaxing the tempo gradually 52 open- Inafor f est-offrost, in mp a open- In mf afor est-offrost, f dim. poco a poco    S,A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    7 PERUSAL ONLY

      mp mp rall. Slowly, freely 56 dawn dim. ofcorn- flow'rs. in p a dawn dim. ofcorn flow'rs. mp pmp rall. p pp Rit. 60 niente mp p p pp Rit.                                                                                                                                                                         8 PERUSAL ONLY

Your clear eye is the one absolutely beautiful thing. I want to fill it with color and ducks, The zoo of the new

Whose names you meditate-April snowdrop, Indian pipe, Little Stalk without wrinkle, Pool in which images

be grand and classical

Not this troublous Wringing of hands, this dark Ceiling without a star.

Shawn KirchnerSylvia Plath

ALTO TENOR

Slowly, not metronomically (q = c. 42)

Your

pp infiniment doux cleareye istheone beauti-ful-thing.Yourcleareye...

Your

pp infiniment doux cleareye istheoneabso-lute-ly-beauti-ful-thing.Yourcleareye...

Piano

Your

pp infiniment doux cleareye, theone beauti-ful-thing.Yourcleareye...

Bass Drum

pp pp                                       3

Child

Should

28 January 1963   3    3                                                                                       PERUSAL ONLY

    Iwantto fill p itwithcolor- andducks,Thezooofthenew.... niente 7 Iwantto fill p itwithcolor- andducks,Thezoo ofthenew Whosenames youmedi-tate--The pp zoo... p Whosenames youmedi-tate--The p zooofthenew Whosenames youmedi-tate--p April-snowdrop,p In di -an-pipe, niente 11 Your p clear eye, niente niente Your p clear Your p clear eye niente Yourclear Your p cleareye, niente Your p clear pp pppp poco a poco cresc.                                                                         S I div. S I-a S I-b 3   All Altos S II                                                                                                                                                                                                   2 PERUSAL ONLY

    n p April-snowdrop,p In di -an-pipe, Your p clear eye, pp 14 eye, n n Your p clear eye, eye n n Your p cleareye, eye, n ppp Little-stalkwithout-wrinkle,-Pool p Pool in in which which i i ma ma ges ges... should cresc. be mf grand and class dim. i-cal linger Taking time, very tenderA tempo 17 Lit pp tle-stalkwithout-wrinkle,- Pool p inwhich ima-ges-shouldbe grand mf espress. andclassi-cal linger Lit pp tle-stalkwithout-wrinkle,- Pool p inwhichima-ges-shouldbe grand mf andclassi-cal linger Lit pp tle-stalkwithout-wrinkle,- Pool p inwhichima-ges-shouldbe grand mf andclassi-cal linger pp pp pp   S I-a S I-b S I-a 3   S II          all SI SII   A only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      3 PERUSAL ONLY

This page has been intentionally deleted to protect the copyright of this score. To purchase, please visit: ShawnKirchner.com SKPublishing I II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III

Blackberrying

Nobody in the lane, and nothing, nothing but blackberries, Blackberries on either side, though on the right mainly,

A blackberry alley, going down in hooks, and a sea

Somewhere at the end of it, heaving. Blackberries

Big as the ball of my thumb, and dumb as eyes

Ebon in the hedges, fat

With blue-red juices. These they squander on my fingers.

I had not asked for such a blood sisterhood; they must love me.

They accommodate themselves to my milkbottle, flattening their sides.

Overhead go the choughs in black, cacophonous flocks—

Bits of burnt paper wheeling in a blown sky.

Theirs is the only voice, protesting, protesting.

I do not think the sea will appear at all.

The high, green meadows are glowing, as if lit from within.

I come to one bush of berries so ripe it is a bush of flies,

Hanging their bluegreen bellies and their wing panes in a Chinese screen.

The honey-feast of the berries has stunned them; they believe in heaven.

One more hook, and the berries and bushes end.

The only thing to come now is the sea.

From between two hills a sudden wind funnels at me, Slapping its phantom laundry in my face.

These hills are too green and sweet to have tasted salt.

I follow the sheep path between them. A last hook brings me

To the hills’ northern face, and the face is orange rock

That looks out on nothing, nothing but a great space

Of white and pewter lights, and a din like silversmiths

Beating and beating at an intractable metal.

23 September 1961PERUSAL ONLY

  Copyright © 2013 by Shawn Kirchner, with permission from Faber and Faber Ltd. and the Estate of Sylvia Plath Tubular Bells Piano Allegretto q. = c. 92 mp 5 No mf bo -dy-inthelane andnothing,- nothing,- but 9 No mf bo -dy-inthelane andnothing,- nothing,- nothing-but No mf bo -dy-inthelane andnothing,- nothing-but No mf bo -dy-inthelane andnothing,- andnothing- but                          Blackberrying

Shawn Kirchner

Sylvia Plath                      2 2   2 2     2 2   2 2 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           PERUSAL ONLY

    black f ber-ries,- Black mf ber-ries-oneither-side, 12 black f ber-ries,- Black mf ber-ries-oneither-side, black f ber-ries,black f ber-ries,f though mp ontherightmainly,- A f blackber-ry-alley,-going-down inhooks, 15 though mp ontherightmainly,- A f blackber-ry-alley,-going-down inhooks, and mp a A f blackber-ry-alley,-going-down inhooks, and mp a and p a f                                        2    2     2    2       2   2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               2 PERUSAL ONLY

  ppp 19 a p inobtrusive sea, Some pp whispery where, heaving.sea espress. Some where attheend ofit,heaving.sea espress. Some where attheend ofit,heaving.sea mp Some where heaving.mp misterioso pp poco rit. p A tempo25                     let ring        2     2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             3 PERUSAL ONLY

This page has been intentionally deleted to protect the copyright of this score. To purchase, please visit: ShawnKirchner.com SKPublishing I II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III

    squan f deronmyfingers.- I mp hadnot 34 squan f deronmyfingers.- I mp hadnot These f theysquander-onmyfingers.f mp asked forsucha blood sisterhood.37 asked forsucha blood sisterhood.                2   2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         5 PERUSAL ONLY

They

mustloveme.

They

mustloveme.

They

accom-mo-date-themselves-tomymilkbot-tle,-

mustlove me,

accom-mo-date-themselves-tomymilkbot-tle,-

mustlove me,

   

pp mustloveme. They p

Meno mosso40

They pp

pp falsetto

They p

pp falsetto mustloveme. They pp

Meno mosso flatten-ing-theirsides. A tempo45 flatten-ing-theirsides. flatflatten--ing- theirsides. ...flat p ten-ing-theirsides. p cresc. A tempo                                                   2      2            2    2     2 2 2    2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    6 PERUSAL ONLY

    O f verhead-gothechoughsblack,cacoph-o-nous-flocks-49 O mf verhead-gothe choughs f inblack,cacoph-o-nous-flocks-O mf verhead-gothechoughs in f black,cacoph-o-nous-flocks-mf Bits mf ofburnt paper-wheel ing-inablown sky. 52 Bits mf ofburnt paper-wheel ing-inablown sky. Theirs p                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     7 PERUSAL ONLY

    Theirs mp istheonly-voice, 56 istheonly-voice, Theirs mp istheonly-voice, mpp Theirs f istheonly-voice, protest-ing. 59 Theirs f istheonly-voice, protest-ing, protesting.f                                                         S, A    T, B                                                                                                                                                                                                            8 PERUSAL ONLY

    62 ...the p seawill appear- at all. I mf donotthinkthesea willappear- atall. p ...the p ...sea... sea... ...ap ...ap pear pear at at all. all. pp sempre leggero The mf high,greenmeadows-are 66 The mf high,greenmeadows-are mf                  S    A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              9 PERUSAL ONLY

    glowing,-asiflitfromwithin.- mf I mp70 glowing,-asiflitfromwithin.- mf I mp cometoonebushofberries-soripe itisabushof flies, 75 cometoonebushofberries-soripe itisabush of flies, mp mf                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            10 PERUSAL ONLY

    p Hang mp ing-theirbluegreen80 p Hang mp ing-theirbluegreen- bel lies, p Hang mp legato ing- theirblue green pp bel lies, 84 Hanging-theirbluegreen- bellies- and theirwingpanesinaChineseHang mp ing-theirbluegreen-bel lies, ...and p their bellies,- theirwingpanes in aChinese- screen, a p       S    A  Bass only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       11 PERUSAL ONLY

    ...and pp theirwingpanesinaChinese-screen.(n) 89 screen. wing panesinascreen. Chinese- screen, a pp Chinese-screen.(n)     The p hon ey-feast-ofthe berries- has stunned p them. 96 The p hon ey-feast-ofthe berries- has stunned p them. dim. al niente                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             12 PERUSAL ONLY

    They pp believe- inheaven.- Onemorehook, mp andtheberries-and Meno mosso 100 They pp believe-inheaven.- One morehook, mp andtheberries-and They pp believe-inheaven.They pp believe-inheaven.pp mp bushes- end. A tempo105 bushes- end. Theonly- thingtocomenowisthe               Solo tutti                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                13 PERUSAL ONLY

      sea. mf Poch. più mosso ( q. = 100-104) 108 mf mf Frombetween- twohillsasudden112 mf Frombetween- twohillsasuddenwind funnels-at me, 117 wind funnels-at me, f          *          S, A   T, B                   * In this section, the accidentals should be voiced down by the pianist unless otherwise indicated.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     14 PERUSAL ONLY

    Slap f ping-itsphantom- laundry-inmyface. 122 Slap f ping-itsphantom- laundry-inmyface. The rhapsodic hills aretoogreen and 126 The rhapsodic hills aretoogreen and The rhapsodic hills aretoogreen and The rhapsodic hills aretoogreen and         2   2    2   2        2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  15 PERUSAL ONLY

    sweet tohavetasted- salt,toogreen andsweet tohave 130 sweet tohavetasted- salt,toogreen andsweet tohave sweettohavetasted- salt, green andsweet... sweet tohavetasted- salt, green andsweet... mf tast ed salt, I mf follow- the 135 tast ed salt, I mf follow- the I mf follow- thesheeppathbetween- them, I mf follow- thesheeppathbetween- them, sonoro  2 2  2 2   2  2      2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            16 PERUSAL ONLY

    sheeppathbe tween them. 139 sheeppathbe tween them. be tween them. be tween them. espress. mf A A last last hookbrings hook, meto to thehills' the north north ern ern face, face,144                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        17 PERUSAL ONLY

    andthefaceis orange f rock Thatlooksouton 149 andthefaceis orange f rock Thatlooksouton noth ff ing,- nothing,- but a Broadening 152 noth ff ing,- nothing,- but a ff                                                       T, B                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 18 PERUSAL ONLY

    f A tempo155 great fff space Of f whiteandpewter-lights, of great fff space Of f whiteandpewterfff f 158 whiteandpewter-lights ofwhiteandpewter-lights andadinlike ofwhiteandpewter-lights, lights, ofwhiteandpewter-lights, ofwhiteandpewter-lights,andadinlike      S only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       19 PERUSAL ONLY

    161 sil poco a poco cresc. ver-smiths, adinlikesil ver-smithssil poco a poco cresc. ver-smiths, adinlikesil ver-smithsff 164 Beat ff ing- and beating,- Beating- and beat ingBeat ff ing- and beating,- Beating- and beat ingff                              sim.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      20 PERUSAL ONLY

    168 atanintrac-ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac atanintrac-ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac- ta-ble-metal,173 ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac-ta-ble-metal,atanintrac-ta-ble-metal,- atanintrac-ta-ble                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    21 PERUSAL ONLY

  177 atanintrac-ta-ble-metal,metal,                                                                                                                                                                       22 PERUSAL ONLY