Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

"The fossils suggest that ancient scorpions crawled out of the seas and onto land..." (Quote from http://www.livescience.com/49451-ancient-scorpion-fossil-land.html)

The Water Dragon ( The Scorpio Song) is a contemporary art song set for mezzo-soprano voice or baritone voice. It is the eighth song in Margaret Brandman's 'Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac' song cycle. The lyrics are by astrologer and poet Benita Rainer, who has artfully distilled the individual characteristics of this star sign in her text.

The second water sign, Scorpio, collects its tools: precision, will, creativity and focus, then blends in passion and goes to work. Scorpios seek the freedom to see through, or under, the surfaces of all things, and by emerging unscathed, bring about amazing changes. This song is set in Bb and begins with the piano introduction suggesting cascading water.

The rising melodies and somewhat angular harmonies in the A section build tension suggesting the predicament of the water dragon. 'Oh I am a water dragon, who's been on land too long.'

The B Section beginning with the lyrics 'find me the deep cool water' is set with contrasting harmonies suggesting coolness. The setting includes rhythmic augmentation (doubling of the time values) for the lyrics 'Earth's red rivers pause.' This is followed by a brief modulation to Db for the final section (C) which begins with a naturally rising melody 'for I shall fly when time's upon me' followed by the descending melody for the final lyrics. Then dive as deep as the bluest ocean, and enter your heart again.

Work Details

Year: 2015

Instrumentation: Mezzo-soprano or baritone voice, piano.

Duration: 2 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

First performance: by Martin Cooke, Margaret Brandman — 3 Sep 16. East Recital Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music.