Men nor Gods (2017)
Instrumentation: Soprano and Percussion (Soprano and Piano version available upon request)
Duration: 11’
Men nor Gods is a chamber piece for soprano and percussion. The piece uses text from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Eros”. It is comprised of five sections. The first section serves as an introduction, characterized by thick chords on the vibraphone juxtaposed against sextuplets. The A section is the most rhythmically active section and the only section with metered passages. The voice is introduced through a series of vocalizations intertwined with the active rhythms of the tam-tam and crotales. As the section closes, the opening line of the text is heard.
The B section features lush chords, similar to the introduction, though the timbre varies. The vocal line weaves in and out of these chords, climbing towards a high C- the climax of the piece. The C section falls in dynamics and register as the vocal line moves towards a low A. This section becomes increasingly gritty and sparse as it goes on, ending on a singular note. In the final section, the timbre and rhythmic motion from the introduction returns, down a major third, leading to a fading roll on a single pitch.