Medium
INSTRUMENTATION
Chimes/Bells
Vibraphone 1
(4-octave)
Vibraphone 2
(4-octave)
Marimba 1
(4-octave)
Marimba 2
(4-octave)
Marimba 3
(4.3 or 4.5-octave)
Marimba 4
(5-octave)
Timpani/Triangle
PROGRAM NOTES
Song to the Moon is an aria from Antonín Dvorák’s opera “Rusalka,” which combines elements from three fairy tales, Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid, Friedrich de la Motte Fouque's Undine, and Gerhart Hautpmann's The Sunken Bell. At this moment in the opera, the good-natured old Spirit of the Lake, Jezibab, is enjoying the singing of the Wood Nymphs, when his daughter, Rusalka, approaches him sadly. She tells him that she has fallen in love with a handsome young prince and wishes to become human in order to know the bliss of union with him. Deeply saddened, the Spirit of the Lake consents to her request, and leaves. All alone, Rusalka sings this beautiful aria, confiding in the moon the secrets of her longing.
Silver moon upon the deep dark sky,
Through the vast night pierce your rays.
This sleeping world you wander by,
Smiling on men's homes and ways.
Oh moon ere past you glide, tell me,
Tell me, oh where does my loved one bide?
Oh moon ere past you glide, tell me
Tell me, oh where does my loved one bide?
Tell him, oh tell him, my silver moon,
Mine are the arms that shall hold him,
That between waking and sleeping he may
Think of the love that enfolds him,
May between waking and sleeping
Think of the love that enfolds him.
Light his path far away, light his path,
Tell him, oh tell him who does for him stay!
Human soul, should it dream of me,
Let my memory wakened be.
Moon, moon, oh do not wane, do not wane,
Moon, oh moon, do not wane....
NOTES ABOUT THE 2nd EDITION
In the spring of 2009, John Parks, Professor of Percussion at Florida State University, contacted me telling me that the FSU Percussion Ensemble had performed my arrangement of Song to the Moon and that they had added a soprano soloist to the mix and it worked beautifully. He also informed me they would be recording the piece with soprano for their forthcoming CD release and asked if I might add some of the introductory material from the original opera scoring, featuring lush low strings and a brief harp cadenza. The FSU Percussion Ensemble CD, titled Volume One, features “Song to the Moon” with soprano soloist Marcía Porter in addition to works by David Skidmore, John Cage, Blake Tyson, Astor Piazzolla, and more. Here are the improvements that you will find in the new edition:
- Return to the original key of G-flat major. Because I had not originally intended for the arrangement to be performed with soprano, I put the piece in G major, transforming it from 6 flats to 1 sharp. By putting it in its original key, there is now the possibility of adding a soprano soloist with this aria in her repertoire.
- A new 27-bar introduction sets up the aria beautifully.
- A modified softer ending to better match the original aria.
- Phrase markings have been added to every part to clarify melodic intentions.
- Rolls markings in the marimba parts have been clarified throughout.
PERFORMANCE NOTES
- This arrangement was written to be performed as a percussion ensemble work without the original soprano soloist. It works perfectly well without it since the melody is written into the percussion parts.
- A vocal part is not included with this set of score and parts. If you are interested in adding a soprano soloist to the percussion ensemble arrangement, she may simply use her own vocal/piano score, as the music matches up perfectly.
- Vibraphone pedaling is left to the discretion of the performer. However, try to following the indicated phrase markings throughout and do not let too many of the notes bleed together.
- Marimbas should follow the roll indications very carefully throughout. Notes under phrase markings should be connected very smoothly, as if playing one long roll.
- Find a recording of the original version with soprano soloist and orchestra (Renee Fleming has several) and play it for yourself and your students. Become familiar with the performance practices associated with the aria, especially regarding tempo changes.
COMPOSER BIO
Composer and percussionist Nathan Daughtrey (b. 1975) has distinguished himself in recent years as an artist of great range. Described as “fresh and imaginative” (Percussive Notes) and “evocatively crafted” (IU Herald Times), his works have been performed by individuals and ensembles of all levels at festivals and venues around the world, including multiple performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the International Double Reed Society Conference, and the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic. With several awards to his credit, Dr. Daughtrey is the only composer to win 2nd and 3rd Place the same year in the Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest. He has received the ASCAP Plus Award annually since 2007. With over 50 publications for percussion, concert band, and orchestra, he is in great demand for commissions and clinics.
Dr. Daughtrey is also extremely active and sought after as a solo marimba artist and clinician. His performances have taken him throughout the United States and overseas to Eastern Europe and Japan, appearing as featured soloist with orchestras such as the North Carolina Symphony and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. His first CD, “Spiral Passages,” was released in 2001 and features original and adapted works for solo and accompanied marimba. Other recent collaborative recordings include Emma Lou Diemer’s work “Concerto in One Movement for Marimba and Orchestra,” Michael Udow’s CD “Footprints,” and Daniel McCarthy’s CD “Song of Middle Earth.” He released his first Christmas CD, “The Yuletide marimba,” in November 2008.
Dr. Daughtrey is a Performing Artist and Clinician for Yamaha Corporation and Vic Firth, Inc.
