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Digital Sheet Music [PDF]: ScoreSongs of the South : for mezzo-soprano and piano [eScore] / Scott McIntyreby Scott McIntyre (2014)
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Product details
The idea for Songs of the South occurred during the
writing of my opera, Fire on the Snow, during 2010-2012,
which dealt with similar themes. Fire on the Snow was
adapted from the Douglas Stewart play of the same name that told
of the trials and tribulations of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's
tragic Antarctic voyage during the heady days of the early
twentieth century's Age of Heroic Exploration.
A colleague of mine, Dr Carolyn Philpott and her friend, Dr
Elizabeth Leane had done extensive research on the sledging songs
made up by members of various expeditions. Boredom, hard work and
lack of entertainment encouraged these hardy folk to make up
songs and ditties, which they quite likely sung, to popular tunes
and songs of the day. Few of the songs had music composed for
them so an idea formed wherein I would attempt to provide some
musical context for these tuneless creations.
This collection of songs are by no means meant to reconstruct or
attempt to provide an answer for what they would have sounded
like but instead focus on cultural references, through quotation
and allusion, attempting to instead, place the texts in a context
akin to music of the time. Also these songs have been constructed
in a serial method of composition. I started with the Omnibus
progression, which I then transformed through various filters
into different chords. I subsequently converted these chords to
ninth, eleventh and thirteenth chords. The idea was to echo music
from the late nineteenth/early twentieth century but give it a
more contemporary edge. As serial pieces tend not to follow
traditional patterns of expected progressions nevertheless the
traces of the omnibus pattern can still be discerned.
During the writing of my opera and these songs, I couldn't shake
the sense of loss, isolation and humility which these men would
have had to live with everyday so even during the most light
hearted of lyrics the music still retains a melancholic air.
Published by: Australian Music Centre — 1 digital (PDF) facsimile score (57p. -- A4 (portrait))
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 20 mins
1. Northern Party - 2. The Sledging Song - 3. Southward (Ballade) - 4. Christmas Day on the trail - 5. Basilisk.
First performance by Jane Edwards, Jennifer Marten-Smith at Songs of the South (Conservatorium Recital Hall (Hobart)) on 10 May 2014
Includes program notes and full text.
Typeset edition.
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This work is also available in the following products:
Score: Songs of the South : for mezzo-soprano and piano / Scott McIntyre.
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