Sheet Music: Performance PartsEat and be eaten / Jennifer Fowler.by Jennifer Fowler (2000)
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Eat and Be Eaten is a collection of songs for 6 singers and harp. It was commissioned by The Song Company of Sydney. It lasts for about 50 minutes.
The collection revolves around the subject of food in all its significance. The subject matter allows for a range of moods, from deadly serious (literally) to humorous. It is not forgotten that while one creature is indulging in the enjoyable bit - the eating - often it is another creature which is being eaten!
Several themes recur: the apple features as a catalyst for the expulsion from the Garden of Eden in Adam Lay, and also as an illustration of the growth cycle of seed-plant-bud-flower-fruit-seed in The Apple Tree. Greed is represented by Little George who is a small boy who can't stop eating. His course is paralleled by Big George who builds a business empire with dodgy takeover bids. The theme of over-consumption and its perils occurs again in Drinking Song. The cyclical nature of the food chain is illustrated in The Apple Tree and On Ilkley Moor; and The Swan presents the point of view of the about-to-be-eaten.
The longest, central song From Conception to Birth explores the balancing act set up between a pregnant woman and a growing foetus. The nourishment and survival of both follows a different agenda but is interdependent. In this case the nurture of the foetus plays a risky strategy against the depletion of the mother's resources. A further ironical strand is added by the (male) voices of brash medics.
Published by: Australian Music Centre — 1 set of 1 performance parts (15p. -- B4 (portrait))
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 45 mins
Introduction to Adam lay -- Adam lay -- Little George -- The apple tree -- From conception to birth -- Big George -- The swan -- Drinking song -- On Ilkley Moor -- Drinking song 2.
Commissioned by The Song Company.
First performance by The Song Company, Marshall McGuire — 6 Jun 01. Uniting Church, Paddington, Sydney
Includes harp part for 'Conception to birth', and 'On Ilkley Moor'.
Sources of text: Adam lay - Medieval lyric ; Introduction, Little George, The apple tree - based on traditional text ; From conception to birth, Big George - by the composer ; The swan - Carmina Burana, medieval Latin, translated and adapted by the composer ; Drinking song - text taken from a 13th century French/Flemish motet, translated and adapted by the composer ; On Ilkley Moor - traditional, Yorkshire ; Drinking song 2 - Amphis (4th century BC) translated by Tony Harrison.
Drinking song 2 can be performed as an optional item (eg. encore item) as part of the song cycle.
Song cycle containing 9 songs, with 1 optional encore song. Individual songs may be performed separately. Can be performed with more than 1 voice per part.
Typeset edition.
Related products
This work is also available in the following products:
Score: Eat and be eaten : song cycle for six singers / by Jennifer Fowler.
CD: Eat and be eaten / Jennifer Fowler ; The Song Company.
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Analysis & Media
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