How To Sing Like a Planet - TTBB - cover...Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates,

Elizabeth Alexander

Seafarer Press

SEA-105-00 $2.75

How To Sing Like a Planet

TTB and piano


Lyric by composer Elizabeth Alexander

“Scientists now say the planet itself is generating a constant, deep thrum of noise.

No mere cacophony, but actually a kind of music, huge, swirling loops of sound,

a song so strange you can't really fathom it, so low it can't be heard by human ears...”

- Mark Morford, from “How To Sing Like a Planet,”

San Francisco Chronicle, April 23, 2008

Let everything unfold in its own time.

Accept what’s beyond your control.

Revel in simple harmonic motion.

Turn.

Rotate.

Get charged up.

Be weak. Be strong.

Don’t fight friction.

Vibrate sympathetically.

Don’t be afraid to get into a groove.

Let gravity have its way with you.

Revolve around something luminous.

Wheel, whirl,

Slide, collide,

Circle, cycle,

Amble, gambol,

Resonate, radiate,

Innovate, renovate,

Oscillate, fluctuate, circumnavigate, flow.

Bloom periodically.

Hunker down when you must.

Wobble from time to time without apology.

Know that annihilation’s possible any time,

But expect a bright tomorrow’s coming anyway.

Copyright 2011 by Elizabeth Alexander. All rights reserved.

(h = 50-52)

Commissioned by the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) of Minnesota

for the 2011 State Honor Choir, Eugene Rogers guest conductor


© 2011 by Elizabeth Alexander

All Rights Reserved.

TTB* and piano

Elizabeth Alexander

Piano

7

T

B

14

T

B

thoughtfully, meditatively

p

Pedal markings and fingerings are provided as general suggestions.

Let

pp

ev’ ry- thing- un fold- in its own time.

Let

pp


Let

pp


(Cue-notes are for rehearsal or reinforcement)

Ac cept- what’s be yond- your con trol.

p

-


p

-


p

-

3 3 4

1 3 1

* Tenor II part is optional, except in mm. 102-124 (pp.7&8)

m.s.

p

19

T

B

24

T

B

29

T

B

Rev

mp

el- in sim ple- har mon- ic- mo tion,-

Rev

mp

el- in sim ple- har mon- ic- mo tion,-

Rev

mp

el- in sim ple- har mon- - ic mo tion,-

mp

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3

and

pp

turn, turn,

turn, turn,

and

pp

turn, turn, turn, turn,

and

pp

turn, turn, turn, turn,

3 3 3 3

turn, turn, turn, turn, rō

p

oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- ō- tate!-


p



p


p

2

33

T

B

36

T

B

rō

mp

oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- ō- tate!- wō oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- ō- oo- -

rō

mp


rō

mp


mp

ō wō- wō!- wō wō- wō!- wō wō- wō!- wō wō- wō- wō-



3

A(h = 100-104) (Double-time)

40

T

B

46

T

B

52

Soli

T

B

wō!

f

wō!

f

wō!

f

sfz

mf

Get

mp

charged up.

Clap:

Be weak. Be strong,

Get

mp

charged up.

Clap:

Be weak. Be strong,

sfz

mp

mp

Small Group:

Whee!

f

gliss.

Don't (t) fight (t) fric tion.-

Don't (t) fight (t) fric tion.- Vi brate- sym pa- the- tic- ally.-

gliss.

opt.

4

58

T

B

62

T

B

66

T

B

Don't

mp

be

a fraid- to get

in to- a groove,

Don't

mp

be

a fraid- to get

in to- a

mp

Don't be

a fraid- to get

in to- a groove,

groove, Don't be

a fraid- to get

in to- a

Don't be

a fraid- to get

in to- a groove,

groove, Don't be

a fraid- to get

in to- a

5

Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous

web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael

deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey,

poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer

B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher,

composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web

designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa,

composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet

B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf

Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven

Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John

Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood,

poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret &

George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B

Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray

Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet

B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer

B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike,

proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill,

composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher

B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen,

artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald

Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B

Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B

Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner,

composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents

B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis,

composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B

Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet

B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet

B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper,

technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet

B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller

B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J.

David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

A COMPLETE PERUSAL COPY MAY BE PURCHASED

FROM ELIZABETH ALEXANDER AT

Seafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer Presswww.seafarerpress.com

A LOT OF HARD WORK &CREATIVITY

WENT INTO BRINGING

THIS MUSIC TO YOU...

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

B86

T

B

94

T

B

102

T

B

gra vi- ty- have its way with you. Re -

gra vi- ty- have its way with you. Re -

2

3 3

p

volve a round- some thing- lu mi- nous,-

mf

volve a round- some thing- lu mi- nous,-

mf

4

Wheel, whirl, slide, col lide,- cir cle,- cy cle,- am ble- and gam bol**- and

Hu(m)*,

sfz

thru(m),

sfz

thru(m),

Hu(m),

sfz

thru(m),

sfz

thru(m),

full, resonant

* Tenor II in mm. 102-124 is not optional ** ...Or is it “gamble?” Hmmm...

mf

7

110

T

B

C118

T

B

flow!

re

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so- nate,- ra di- ate,- in no- vate,- re no- vate,- os cil- late,- fluc tu- ate,- cir cum- na- vi- gate,-

Hu(m),

sfz

thru(m),

sfz

Bloom

f

per i- o- di- cally,-

Bloom

f


Bloom*

f


* Bass in mm.119-124 is optional.

f

opt.

8

Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous

web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael

deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey,

poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer

B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher,

composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web

designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa,

composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet

B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf

Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven

Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John

Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood,

poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret &

George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B

Abbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray

Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet

B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer

B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike,

proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill,

composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher

B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen,

artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald

Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B

Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B

Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner,

composer/teacher B Paul Adams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents

B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B Abbie Betinis,

composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael deVernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B

Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickinson, poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet

B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet

B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper,

technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langston Hughes, poet

B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, storyteller

B Denise Levertov, poet B George Ella Lyon, poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J.

David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

(YOU KNOW WHY.)

A COMPLETE PERUSAL COPY MAY BE PURCHASED

FROM ELIZABETH ALEXANDER AT

Seafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer Presswww.seafarerpress.com

A LOT OF HARD WORK &CREATIVITY

WENT INTO BRINGING

THIS MUSIC TO YOU...

...AND SOME OF IT

WAS EVEN MINE.

D154

B

160

B

165

T

B

Alt. Pno.

Know

mp

that an ni- hi- la- tion's- pos si- ble- an y- - - -

mp

time,

but

mf

ex pect- a bright to mor- row’s- com ing-

but

mf


but

mf


10

170

T

B

174

T

B

178

T

B

an

f

y- way!-

an

f

y- way!-

an

f

y- way!-

f

an y- way!-

an y- way!-

an y- way!-

an y- way!-

an y- way!-

an y- way!-

11

Growing up in the Carolinas and Appalachian Ohio, Elizabeth Alexander gained her love of language

and music from her parents, a minister and a piano teacher. These twin passions are reflected in her

catalogue of over 100 choral and vocal pieces, which have received over 20 national and international

awards, and been performed by over 1000 choirs.

Reviewers have commented on “the close personal resonance between the composer and the words,” her

music’s “delicacy and sincerity,” and its “elegance, subtle unexpected harmonic turns, and...freshness

within a well-known language.” Her wide-ranging compositional influences include classical, folk,

atonality, Latin and classic jazz, and gospel.

A 2011 McKnight Fellow, she has received awards and fellowships from

the Jerome Foundation, New York Council on the Arts, Wisconsin Arts

Board, National Orchestral Association, International League of Women

Composers, and American Composers Forum. Her composition teachers

have included Jack Gallagher at The College of Wooster, and Steven

Stucky, Yehudi Wyner and Karel Husa at Cornell University, from which

she received her doctorate in music composition.

Other performers of her music have included orchestras such as

Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra and

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra; chamber ensembles North/South

Consonance, Society for New Music, and Sounds New; and singers Ruth

MacKenzie, Bradley Greenwald, Christina Baldwin, Janet Youngdahl,

Andrea Cawelti, David Gagnon, Libby Turner-Opanga, Linda Larson and

Cheryl Coker.

Elizabeth lives in St. Paul, MN, where her frequent commissions include works for orchestra, chorus,

chamber ensembles and solo musicians. She reads voraciously, shamelessly encourages her teenagers’

jokes, makes pretty good biscuits, and tends her garden during the three month period in Minnesota that

is not winter.

She believes she has the best job in the world.

Selected Choral Music by Elizabeth Alexander

April Rain Song (Langston Hughes) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-006-01

Before the Bread (English folk prayer) SSSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-023-00

Blessed Be the Flower That Triumphs (Michael deVernon Boblett) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-078-00

Cherish Your Doubt (Alexander) SATB & piano / SSAA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-063-01 / SEA-063-02

Climb (Edna St. Vincent Millay) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-059-00

Dragon Dance (Elizabeth Alexander) S & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-001-00

Die Gedanken Sind Frei (155h century German protest song, arr.) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-087-00

The Earth Called To My Friend (Nancy Wood) SSA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-057-00

Even a Fist Was Once an Open Palm (Yehuda Amichai) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-026-01

Faith Is the Bird That Feels the Light (Rabindranath Tagore) SSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-068-00

Fighting Over What We Believe (Alexander) SAB youth choir, SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-099-00

Finally On My Way To Yes (Pesha Gertler) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-019-00

Folks, I’m Telling You (Langston Hughes) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-027-00

For So the Children Come (Sophia Fahs) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-010-00

Glen Song (Scott Bates) SSATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-025-00

Go Out! (John Murray) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-081-00

I Write This Poem Out of Darkness (George Ella Lyon) SSA, flute, violin & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-024-00

If You Can Walk You Can Dance (Zimbabwean Proverb) SAB & piano / TTB & piano . . . . SEA-022-03 / SEA-022-05

Immortal Love (John Greenleaf Whittier) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-017-00

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (arr. Polish carol) SSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-020-00

The Journey (Evelyn Dudley) TTBB / SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-075-00 / SEA-075-01

Jump! (Ray Bradbury) SSA & string quartet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-090-00

Life is not a Garden (Alexander) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-064-00

May This Be a Working Alleluia (Alexander) S children’s choir, SATB & piano (opt. flute & 2 trumpets) . . SEA-098-00

Morning Bread (Amy Lowell) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-060-00

...or a musician (Philip Dacey) SATB & orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-007-00

A Palette To Paint Us As We Are (Gerald Rich) SA & piano / SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-014-00 / SEA-014-01

Praise Wet Snow Falling Early (Denise Levertov) SATB & piano SEA-015-00

Reasons for the Perpetuation of Slavery (Alexander) SSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-091-00

Spring Grass (Carl Sandburg) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-006-03

They Have Freckles Everywhere (Alexander) SSAA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-076-00

Those Who Wish To Sing Always Find a Song (Swedish proverb) SSS, oboe & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-022-01

To Make a Prairie (Emily Dickinson) SSA & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-016-00

Tomorrow, God Willing (Garrison Keillor) TTBB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-077-00

Trust the Seeds (Alexander) SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-009-00

We Lift Up Our Hearts (Richard Fewkes) Children’s choir, SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-021-00

We Remember Them (Sylvan Kamens & Jack Riemer) SATB & piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-083-01

Where There Is Light in the Soul (Chinese proverb) SAB/SATB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-070-00 / SEA-070-01

When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled (Howard Thurman) SSAA / TTBB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-062-04 / SEA-062-02

Why I Pity the Woman Who Never Spills (Joan Wolf Prefontaine) SSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-058-00

CD: Finally On My Way To Yes — Award-winning choral works by Elizabeth Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA-CD-001

For a complete catalog of over 60 pieces for mixed, women’s, men’s & children’s choirs,along with recordings and score excerpts, visit:

Seafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer PressSeafarer Press ~ www.seafarerpress.com

Documents

How To Sing Like a Planet - TTBB - cover...Opal Palmer Adisa, poet B Margaret & George Alexander, parents B Yehuda Amichai, poet B Bjorn Arneson, generous web designer B Scott Bates,