WHO SPEAKS FOR THE GODS? ANDREW BURKE For BARITONE and PIANO
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WHO SPEAKS FOR THE GODS? ANDREW BURKE For BARITONE and PIANO
ANDREW BURKE WHO SPEAKS FOR THE GODS? For BARITONE and PIANO Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Haverford College Spring 2014 NOTES ON THE PIECE The idea for this song cycle is based on a course I took as a student at Millsaps College called Who Speaks for the God(s)? with Dr. James E. Bowley. The class dealt with the issue of interpreting ancient religious texts and how different religious extremist groups throughout history have validated their severe social agendas by using these texts according to their own interpretations. In this sort of process, the original message of the text can become quite adulterated or distorted. I’ve attempted to explore these same issues by using the song cycle in a novel way. Specifically, I am focusing on the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). Each song's text is composed of passages from the Bible that the WBC has used to legitimize one of their claims. Thus, each song represents one of their infamous picket signs. The Biblical text is presented in Latin so that the listener cannot readily comprehend the message. This emphasizes the text’s vulnerability to subjective interpretation. In keeping with this concept of misrepresentation and misinterpretation, the “mistakes” in the text setting are actually intentional. At times, the text is misaligned so that the stress does not fall on a strong beat. The motivation behind this choice was to allow the text itself to feel misunderstood or distorted. As a musical vehicle for these texts, I seek to reflect the nature of the distortion at play in the religious message by taking inspiration from traditional, mainstream religious music constructions and twisting them in harmony, rhythm, and structure. The music also seeks to evoke pain, isolation, joy, confusion, and other psychological and emotional complexities that seem to exist with members of the WBC. The cycle is notated as a single piece to indicate that the performance ought to be fluid with little to no break in between songs. The performance of the piece must incorporate visuals to enhance the experience. For each piece, there will be a projection or representation of the corresponding picket sign used by WBC members (i.e. “God Hates Fags,” “God Hates Islam,” “God Loves Dead Soldiers,” etc). In the printed program, each piece will be titled simply as the Bible verses used. This is an attempt to illuminate the dynamic of how the interpretation of these texts is presented by the WBC. The audience will hear the text without being able to truly understand it, they will see WBC’s interpretation of the text on the stage, and they will know that the text has been taken from the Bible by looking at the program, but the connection between all these different threads will be inherently tenuous. A list of the corresponding signs for each song may be found in the table of contents. The final song in the cycle is understood as a sort of epilogue. This is the only piece not connected with a WBC sign, and thus may be paired with no sign or with one simply titled as Epilogue. It offers a section from the Bible that distinctly contradicts the WBC's approach to interpretation. - Andrew Burke TEXTS The sung text has been taken from the Latin Vulgate, and the translation provided has been taken from the King James. Leviticus 18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and custodite legitima mea atque iudicia et my judgments: and shall not commit non faciat ex omnibus abominationibus any of these abominations; neither any istis tam indigena quam colonus qui of your own nation, nor any stranger peregrinatur apud vos that sojourneth among you. Galatians 1:6-7 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo qui vos vocavit in gratiam Christi in aliud evangelium Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. quod non est aliud nisi sunt aliqui qui vos conturbant et volunt convertere evangelium Christi Revelations 13: 4, 7, 9 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast. And they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast? And who is able to make war with him? et adoraverunt draconem quia dedit potestatem bestiae et adoraverunt bestiam dicentes quis similis bestiae et quis poterit pugnare cum ea And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. et datum est illi bellum facere cum sanctis et vincere illos et data est ei potestas in omnem tribum et populum et linguam et gentem If any man have an ear, let him hear. si quis habet aurem audiat Deuteronomy 32:43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to their adversaries, and he will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. laudate gentes populum eius quia sanguinem servorum suorum ulciscetur et vindictam retribuet in hostes eorum et propitius erit terrae populi sui Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. quam ob rem relinquet homo patrem suum et matrem et adherebit uxori suae et erunt duo in carne una Romans 1:28, 29, 31 And even as they liked not to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate knowledge, to do those things which are not convenient. et sicut non probaverunt Deum habere in notitia tradidit eos Deus in reprobum sensum ut faciant quae non convenient Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness; full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity: whisperers, repletos omni iniquitate malitia fornicatione avaritia nequitia plenos invidia homicidio contentione dolo malignitate susurrones Foolish, dissolute: without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. insipientes inconpositos sine affectione absque foedere sine misericordia Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou dost the same things which thou judgest. propter quod inexcusabilis es o homo omnis qui iudicas in quo enim iudicas alterum te ipsum condemnas eadem enim agis qui iudicas TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Leviticus 18:26, Galatians 1:6-7 (God Hates Islam)…………………………………………… 1 2. Revelations 13: 4, 7, 9 (Antichrist Obama)……………………………………………………….. 7 3. Deuteronomy 32:43 (Thank God for Dead Soldiers)…………………………………………. 16 4. Genesis 2:24, Romans 1:28-31 (God Hates Fags)………………………………………………. 23 5. Romans 2:1 (Epilogue)……………………………………………………………………………………. 38 Leviticus 18:26, Galatians 1:6-7 Baritone q=88 f 5 q=88 starkly Piano sim. 3 mf 10 le - gi - ti -ma me - a at - que iu -di - ci - a Slower (q = 79) p Cus - to - di - te Slower (q = 79) p et non fa - ci -at ex om -ni -bus 2 rit. 15 a - bo -mi -na - ti - o - ni -bus 3 qui pe -re -gri -na -tur a - pud 3 p p 3 Mi - ror quod 3 3 3 sic tam vos 3 mf mf quam co - lo -nus ge - na rit. 3 23 in - di 3 19 is - tis tam ci - to trans - fe - ri - 27 mi - 3 ni ab e - o qui vos vo - ca 31 sim. p am Chri - sti p 35 Chri - sti in gra - ti - 3 3 3 3 Chri vit cresc. - sti - 3 3 Chri cresc. sti f - Chri - sti f 4 39 44 p sim. 3 3 rhapsodic 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 dolce e -van -ge - li - um 47 in a - li - ud p pp 3 3 pp sub. pp f 3 f quod non est a - li - ud 3 3 3 3 3 3sim. 55 f 51 ni 5 49 mf - - si sunt f p sub. a - li - qui 6 56 qui vos dim. con - tur - bant lunt con et vo - - dim. sim. 3 58 ver - te - re 3 e - 3 van - - 3 ge - li - 60 um 3 p Chri 3 p - sti 3 3 3 Revelations 13:4,7,9 q = 110 3 p - 73 3 3 - ve - 3 co -nem qui -a de -dit po -tes -ta -tem bes mp - ti - - 3 3 dra mp am 3 3 3 3 p dra-co - nem, p runt ra 3 et 3 p 3 do 3 68 a - 7 3 f q = 110 8 76 f p 81 a - ra - - cen - di ve 86 - tes et dolce do - mf p - 3 runt bes - ti - am mf sim. quis si - mi - le 3 3 3 f 90 f 96 cum - rit pu - gna - mp sim. a 3 mp 3 - mp e po - te re 99 3 et quis - ti - ae 3 - bes 9 10 102 f 108 p sub. f 105 11 111 113 p et dolce sim. da -tum p sub. - tis 3 3 3 est 3 3 sanc 3 il - li 119 cum 3 3 3 3 3 3 bel - lum fa - ce - re espress. 3 12 125 130 - los da - ta men - ses est il - li qua - dra - gin - ta 3 3 re - tes - tas fa - ce -re - 3 po il 3 3 3 3 - 3 136 vin - ce mf 3 3 et et 3 mf espress. 3 du - 3 - o 141 si 145 au - rem au- 3 3 3 - bet 3 ha di - at p sub. 149 p 3 3 quis 3 p 13 3 3 3 14 153 f au - di -at au - di -at f rit. 157 ff 160 p si 3 3 quis ha - bet 15 163 p au - rem au - di - at Deuteronomy 32:43 16 q = 140 q = 140 p 175 182 mp 190 p sub. sim. p 197 Lau - da - te Lau - da -te gen - tes 17 pop - u - lum 204 mp Lau - da - te gen - tes po - mp 210 -pu - lum e - ius qui - a san - gui - nem, 18 216 san - f - - - - - - - sa - sotto voce gui 3 3 sim. f celebratory 228 - nem - 222 gui - 233 nem 3 237 ul 3 ci - sce - - vo - rum su 3 - 3 3 - ser 19 3 o - rum tur 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 241 p et 3 3 3 3 3 3 Slower (c. q = 125) espress. vin - dic - Slower (c. q = 125) p 20 247 tam re - tri - bu - et 255 in ho -stes e - o - rum Tempo 1 (q=140) mf et pro - pi - ti - 261 e - rit us Tempo 1 (q=140) ter - rae po - pu - li 21 267 su - 275 pp mf Lau - da - te 3 3 mf 281 i rit. Lau rit. - - da - te 3 22 284 p q =90 p rubato Quam Genesis 2:24, Romans 1:28-31 ob rem re -lin -quet ho -mo pa -trem su - um et ma -trem q =90 p rubato 294 sim. ad -her -re - bit u -xo -ri su - ae 300 er -unt du - o in car - ne mp u - et et 23 na 24 306 accel. 3 308 3 3 3 Faster (c. q = 98) mp et si - cut Faster (c. q = 98) 3 3 310 3 non pro - ba - 3 3 3 3 ve -runt 3 De - um, De - um, 3 3 3 3 3 De - um 25 mf 313 ha - - - - - - - - mf 3 3 314 be - - 3 3 re in 3 3 3 315 3 3 no - ti - ti - a, 3 no - ti - ti - a 3 3 3 3 26 316 3 tra - di - dit e - f - f 3 319 re - De - us, De - us, - us in 3 3 3 3 De os 3 3 318 3 3 pro - bum 3 sen 3 - 3 - 3 sum ut 3 27 320 fa - - ci - - ant quae 3 3 321 3 non con 3 322 rit. ve 3 3 - ni - - 3 3 3 unt 3 p quam Tempo 1 ( q = 90) p 3 Tempo 1 ( q = 90) 3 - 3 sim. 28 ob rem 332 3 accel. pa - trem, ma - trem, accel. pa - trem, ma - trem, pa - trem pa - trem 3 3 3 ho - mo pa - trem 336 re - lin - quet 326 su - pa - trem, - ma -trem um 29 Tempo 1 (q = 90) 343 mp re - ple - tos Tempo 1 (q = 90) f 3 3 3 3 3 mp 347 om - ni i - ni -qui -ta - te ma - li - ti - a for 350 - - ni - ca - ti - o - ne 3 a -va - ri -ti - a 3 p sub. 30 3 353 3 ne - qui -ti - a ple -nos in -vi - di 3 3 di - mi - ci - f without pedal - o f con ho 358 3 a 356 - 3 3 - - - ten - ti - o - ne 31 360 3 3 do - lo, do - lo, do - 3 lo ma - li - gni - ta - te 362 sus - su - ro - Slower (c. q = 81) nes Slower (c. q = 81) rit. 365 mp 3 3 32 370 3 373 3 3 mf ad - her - re - bit u - xo - ri su - ae 3 3 3 u - xo - ri, p 3 sim. 3 ad - her - re - bit 376 mf cresc. 378 et cresc. car - - - ne 3 3 3 3 ff espress. ff in 3 in u - na 3 385 o 3 - du 381 e - runt 33 - si - pi - en - tes 3 388 34 3 in - con 3 3 si - ne af -fec -ti -o - - po 390 ne abs - si - tos 3 3 - que sim. foe - 3 - - 393 si 3 3 ne 3 - de mi - re - - 35 394 397 pp e - runt du - o pp 402 in car -ne u mf e 3 3 - mf se - ri - cor-di - a runt du - o - na 3 in car - ne 36 407 u - e f in car - - fff du - o 3 3 fff ne u - - 414 na runt f 3 na 412 - 37 415 416 3 417 Romans 2:1 38 q = 100 rubato q = 100 rubato pp 428 Faster ( q = 120) pp prop - ter quod Faster ( q = 120) 435 o ho - mo in - ex - cu - sa sim. ho - mo, - bi - lis p es p o 39 442 449 455 in iu di -cas al - te - rum om p te ip quo - nis con - dem - nas, iu - di cas iu - di cas, sum qui e - nim - con - 40 461 dem - nas - nim a 3 - qui iu - di - cas e - a - - qui - e- iu - di - cas dem iu - qui rubato, espress. gis 474 467 - di - cas Tempo 1 ( q = 100) Tempo 1 ( q = 100) 480 485 rit. ppp 41