E---- for baritone, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and electronic drone - Full Score PDF
From the composer:
With lyrics by Royce Vavrek (my librettist on two occasions), E----takes the abstract notion of the island as an individual and creates a personal narrative from that point of departure. E----, the eponymous love interest is yearned for in the way that a distant homeland is imagined from a remote island. "I am an island in a lake in an island" sings the marooned baritone. He is stranded in a Dante-esque hell behind several moats. The island is both a haven and a trap. Floating in a musical sea of drones and floating harmonies, one can only search in the distance for someone who is long gone.
The melancholic attitude of the text reminded me of the tone of Morrissey, the rock singer known for singing sad and disgruntled ballads (i.e. "How soon is now?"). I didn't want to recreate Morrissey, but I think I came pretty close with the vocal writing and overall tone. E---- was written for loadbang in the summer of 2014.
12 pages; duration 10'; no parts available
