Mind River
1995, 08:00
Voice, Flute, Alto Saxophone, Accordion, Piano, and Contrabass / Version with Oboe, Viola and Cello replacing Alto Sax and Accordion (1997)
Written for Jaap Blonk and Ensemble Novocento
Programme notes
The voice part of ‘Mind River’ floats over the detached instrumental accompaniment,
progressing in its own tempo and phrasing. Vocal cues are given to begin a section.
If a given section of the voice part lasts longer than the next ‘vocal cue,’ then the voice part is
being performed at too slow a tempo. The ‘key’ of the voice part is free, and may
wander in relation to the accompaniment. ‘Mind River’ borrows directly from Arnold
Schönberg’s ‘Der kranker Mond’ from Pierrot Lunaire and ‘Moon River’ by Johnny
Mercer and Henry Mancini. The ‘sprechstimme’ style of Pierrot Lunaire should used
consistently during the fragments of ‘Der kranker Mond’ while ‘Moon River’ should
given an appropriately 60’s pop feel. The ‘Moon River’ fragments may be sung at a
slightly faster tempo while maintaining the overall phrasing that results from cutting back
and forth between the two musical sources.
See also ‘Bitter Green Lullabies.’
Lyrics
(for Jaap Blonk)
Du nachtig todeskranker [Mile: I’m]
dort auf des Himmels [style some day.]
dein Blick, so fiebernd [you heart]bannt mich
[where]frem de Melo[goin’ your way:]
An unstillbarem Liebesleid stirbst
du [drifters, off to] Sehnsucht, tief [world
to] nachtig todeskrank[we’re waitin’ ’round]
dein Blick, so [bend,] bernd u[breaker, you]
frem de Me[leberry friend,]
de Melo[berry] Blick, [where]fiebernd [you’re goin,’
I’m ubergrosh, [bend] mich,
[We’re] [waitin’] [wider than] [wherever you’re] [world.]
[We’re] [way:] [where-] [wider] [world.
There’s] [wide-] [to see the world] [world to] [world.
[There’s] [after the same] [wide-]bergrosh, [way:] bannt [world] bernd
[We’re] bernd [where-] bannt [wait-] Blick, [wide-] bes [end]
[waitin’ ’round] des Himmels schwarzem Pfuhl.
Den Liebsten, der [I’m] Sinnenrausch gedankenlos
zur Liebsten, [goin’,]
Den Liebsten, der [I’m] Sinnenrausch gedankenlos
[your] Liebsten [goin’,]
Den Liebsten, der [I’m] Sinnenrausch ge-[dreammaker,
you] Liebsten [goin’,] [goin’]
belustigt deiner Strahlen Spiel,
dein [Huckle-]bleiches, qual ge-[bend, my Huckle-]bornes Blut,
[River and] nachtig [berry friend,] deskranker
[Moon Riv-]ker [and me.]