THE EARTH WAITS FOR ME - Larry Nickel SATB with piano !!!!!!!!!!!!
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The Earth Waits for Me !!1) The Earth Waits for Me 2) To a Child 3) Once More !poetry of Chief Dan George !
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Copyright © CanuckComposer 2010
Piano
all women - chest tone
Hey
ppFirst Nation Canadian chant q = 60
ppsteady drum pulse
sim.
mp
a* ho
*open ah vowel
wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey
mp
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Wa
5
all men
Hey
mp
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Wa
mp
hey a- ho.- Wa hey- a- ho.
mf
- Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- wa hey- a- wa-
9
hey a- ho.- Wa hey- a- ho.
mf
- Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- wa hey- a- wa-
mf
inspired by Chief Dan George
The Earth Waits for MeLarry Nickel
movement #1 of "The Earth Waits for Me"
Commissioned by the Royal Canadian College of Organists - Victoria Centre - for The Linden Singers and conductor Garry Froesepremier performance at the "Pipes Around the Pacific International Organ Festival 2010", Victoria B
2
hey a- wa hey- a- ho.- Hey
fattack
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey a- ho- wa- -
A13
hey a- wa hey- a- ho. Hey
f
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey a- ho- wa- -
f
hey a- ho.- Wa
mf
hey- a- ho.- Wa
mp
hey- a- ho.-
f
Hey -
18
hey a- ho.- Wa
mf
hey- a- ho.- Wa
mp
hey- a- ho.-
f
Hey-
mp
a ho- wa- hey- a- wa hey- a- wa hey- a- hey a.
rit.21
a ho- wa- hey- a- wa hey- a- wa hey- a- hey a.
f
rit.
3
tempo promo mf
Nights
dolce
bring me hind sight, Days bring me do ing.-
q = 60 B26
mf unis.
To -
pp pedal freely
unis.
The
mp
moon, van
mf
i- ty. the
mp29
mor rows- bring me wish es- yes ter- days- bring me wisdom.
mp
The moon, van
mf
i- ty
sky long
mf
ing- the
mp
sun, fear,
mf
and
p
the earth
32
the sky, long
mf
ing.- the sun, fear,
mf
and
p
the
ppp
3
sotto voce
4
it
mf
waits for me.
p35
earth it
mf
waits for me.
p
pp mp
espress.
Nights
mf
bring me hind sight, days bring me do ing,- to mor- rows- bring me wish es,-
C40
mf
yes ter- days- bring me wis dom.
p
Ooo
43
p
Ooo
pp
3
3
3
5
the moon
mp
van
mf
i- ty,- the
mp
sky, long
mf
ing,- the
mp47
the moon
mp
van
mf
i- ty,- the
mp
sky, long
mf
ing,- the
mp
sun, fear,
mf
and
mp
the earth? it
mf
waits for me
50
sun fear,
mf
unis.mp
and the earth? it
mf
waits for me
pp
p
it
mp
waits
with hushed intensity
for me.
attack
Hey
f54
p
it
mp
waits for me. Hey
f
p
6
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Wa
mf
-
58
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Wa
mf
-
f
hey a- ho.- Wa
mp
hey- a- ho.-
f
hey a- hey
62
hey a- ho.- Wa
mp
hey- a- ho.-
f
hey a- hey
mp f
a- hey a- hey- a.-
66
a- hey a- hey- a.-
7
rit.
70
(don't move)
pp
notes from the composer:
Dalannah Gail Bowen is a Northwest First Nations woman who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is personallyaquainted with Chief Dan George's son, Justin, who lives on a reserve under the Lion's Gate Bridge.
Dalannah and I became friends last year when we collaborated on a fund raising project (CD - A Time for Healing) for Vancouver's downtown east-side homeless people.
Dalannah came to my home for tea. She studied the Chief Dan George poetry carefully and then chanted freelywith her hoop drum for half an hour - while I recorded and took notes. Her chanting is - by her own words - very spiritual, and the words "wah hey-a-ho" are intended to invite the Divine. With her permission, I selected short phrases from her improvised chanting.
In my experience, Native Canadian chant is usually three or four four square with a steady non-syncopated pulse, repetitious, in unison, diatonic - often pentatonic and in the dorian or myxolydian mode. I have included these elements in this composition.Marrying these factors with my penchant for rich choral harmony was a challenge. In any case I am an outsider looking in.
At times Dalannah's singing sounded like an anguished cry and, given the more recent (white man) plight of her people, this is no surprise. I was also impressed by the incessant hypnotic pounding of her drum. Ergo, there are times in this composition when an anguished cry and pounding keyboard rhythms are intentional.
Movement #1 - "The Earth Waits for Me"
The descending/falling dorian mode chant phrase is appropriate for the idea of our bodies returning to the earth.I applied the motive to the rest of the composition with a gradually cascading/sequenced melody and chord progression.
The rising figure at the end of the piece is a musical metaphor for our spirits dramatically returning to God.
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it." (King Solomon)
Movement #2 - "To a Child" is about life emerging. It is the triolgy's contrasting fulcrum.
Movement #3 - "Once More" - revisits the ideas in Movement #1 with Chief Dan George's poignant conclusion.
by the way - if you haven't watched the movie "Little Big Man" yet, please do. starring Dustin Hoffman and Chief Dan George.
8
Copyright © CanuckComposer 2010
SOPRANOALTO
TENORBASS
Hey
mfunis.
a,- hey, hey a- ho, hey, hey a- ho,-
Swaying Lullaby q. = 52
Hey a- hey,- hey a- ho,- hey, hey a- ho,ho,-
ssa
Wa -
5
Hey
mfunis.
a- hey,- hey a- ho,- hey, hey a- ho,-
hey a- ho,- wa hey- a- ho,- hey
mp
a,- hey a- ho,-
mf
Wa -
9
wa hey- a- ho,-
mp
hey a,- hey a- ho,-
mf
Wa -
hey a- ho,- wa hey- a- ho,- hey
p
a,- hey a- ho.
rit. 13
hey a- ho,- wa hey- a- ho,- hey
p
a,- hey a- ho.
Larry NickelChief Dan George
To a Childcommissioned by the Linden Singers - Garry Froese - director
movement #2 of "The Earth Waits for Me"
9
May
mp
the stars car ry- your sad ness- a way,-
A17
May
mp
the stars car ry- your sad ness- a way.-
flow'rs fill your heart with beau ty,- - -
mf
May
21
May
melody - unis.
the flow'rs fill your heart with beau ty,- - -
hope for ev- er- wipe a way,- wipe a way your tears. a
mp
-
25
wipe
mf
a way- your tears. a
mp
-
bove all, a bove- all, may si
prubato
lence- make you strong.
29
bove all, a bove- all, may si
p
lence- make you strong.
10
Loo
pvery gently to the baby - a tempo
loo loo a- le*,- loo loo a- le.-
B33
p
Loo loo loo
loo
p
loo
mf
loo a- le,- loo
p
loo a- le.-
37
loo
p
loo
mf
loo a- le,- loo
p
loo a- le.-
tenors
La
mp
Loo
tenors on melodyp
la le la loo la le la, Loo la le la loo la le la A
mf
-
41
Loo
p
la le la loo la le la, Loo la le la loo la le la A
mf
-
loo a le a loo a le, loo a le a loo a le. A
mf
-
Loo
p
la le la, loo la le la, Loo la le la loo la le la A
mf
-
rehearsal
* is in Latin
11
bove all, a bove- all, may
pq. = h = 54C45
bove all, a bove- all, may
p
bove all, may
p
bove all, may
p
q. = h = 54C
si lence,- si
pp
lence,- si lence- make
ppp
you strong.
rit. 49
si lence,- si
pp
lence,- si lence- make
ppp
you strong.
si lence,- si
pp
lence,- si lence,- make
ppp
you strong.
si lence,- si
pp
lence,- si lence- make
ppp
you strong.
rit.
12
Copyright © CanuckComposer 2010
Pianopp
legato
pp
q = 60 First Nation Canadian Chant poco rit.
pedal freely
Hey
legatopp
a
unis.
- ho
p
- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey
mf
-
5
Hey
mp unis.
a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Hey
mf
-
Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Once
f
more. Once
9
Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Once
f
more. Once
mp mf (alla drum)
Larry NickelChief Dan George
Once Moremovement #3 of "The Earth Waits for Me"
commissioned by the Linden Singers - Garry Froese - director
13
sopr.s
Once
mf13
more.
sub
Once
p
more.(once more.)
altos
Once
more.
sub p
Once more (once more) once
pp ppp
more I'd like to hear wa ter- mur mur- of earth. I'd like to touch a
17
more, Once more a
more, Once more a
mp
3
14
child to feel be yond- to day.- Once more I like to taste tree sap to re -
20
child,
pp p
Ooo
child,
ppp
Ooo
mem ber- the joys of Spring. to
mf
see the col or- of hap pi- ness,- to
24
to
mf
see the col or- of hap pi- ness.- to
to
mf
see the col or- of hap pi- ness.- to
3
3
3
3
15
know the death man's- song will please me.
pp
Once
mprit.
28
know the death man's- song will please me.
pp
know the death man's- song will please me.
pp
pp
rit.
more., one more. Then,
p
O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
32
Once
mp
more. Then,
p
O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
Once
mp
more.(Once more.)
Then,
p
O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
p
16
mf
Then, O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
36
mf
Then, O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
f
Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Then,
mf
Then, O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you,
f
Hey a- ho- wa- hey- a- ho.- Then,
mp f
O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you what
mf
lit tle- I have left from
mp40
O Earth, I shall be read y- to re turn- to you what
mf
lit tle- I have left from
mp
17
all the years of tak ing- from
f
you. Hey a-
43
all the years of tak ing- from
f
you. Hey a-
mp f
ff
hey a- hey- a.-
47
ff
hey a- hey- a.-
pounding ff pedal down
at the cutoff
18
Then
mf warmly
shall I re turn.- Then
rubatomp
shall I re turn- what
51
Then
mf
shall I re turn.- Then
mp
shall I re turn- what
lit
mf
tle- I have left of all
mp
the years of tak ing- from you.
mfrit.
55
lit
mf
tle- I have left of all
mp
the years of tak ing- from you.
mf
rit.
19
Chief Dan George, OC (July 24, 1899–September 23, 1981) was a chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Coast Salish band located on Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was also an author, poet, and an Academy Award-nominated actor. Born as Geswanouth Slahoot in North Vancouver, his English name was originally Dan Slaholt. The surname was changed to George when he entered a residential school at age 5. He worked at a number of different jobs, including as a longshoreman,
construction worker, and school bus driver, and was band chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation from 1951–63 (then called the Burrard Indian Band). During his acting career, he worked to promote better understanding by non-aboriginals of the First Nations people. His soliloquy, Lament for Confederation, an indictment of the appropriation of native territory by white colonialism, was performed at the City of Vancouver's celebration of the Canadian centennial in 1967. This speech is credited with escalating native political activism in Canada and touching off widespread pro-native sentiment among non-natives. !In 1971, George was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2008 Canada Post issued a postage stamp in its "Canadians in Hollywood" series featuring Chief Dan George. !Chief Dan George died in Vancouver in 1981 at the age of 82. !!The Earth Waits for Me!!Nights bring me hindsight, Days bring me doing, Tomorrows bring me wishes, Yesterdays bring me wisdom, The moon vanity, The sky longing, The sun fear, and the earth? ... it waits for me.!!To a Child!!May the stars carry your sadness away, May the flowers fill your heart with beauty, May hope forever wipe away your tears, And, above all, may silence make you strong.!!Once More!!Once more I'd like hear water murmur of earth!Once more I'd like to touch a child to feel beyond today!Once I'd like to taste tree sap - to remember the joys of spring!to see the colour of happiness!to know the death-man's song will please me!!Then O earth I shall be ready to return to you!what little I have left of all the years of taking from you