Program Note

 

Soo Anaso is a mermaid, one of the characters of Tatar folklore. The piece reflects the image of this creature, who is singing and dancing. It portrays the scene of the forest, the lake, and the woods at night. The first section of the piece is meditative, as we enter the woods and hear Soo Anaso’s voice… The voice sings in an improvisatory style with some ornaments from Tatar folk music. 

 

The middle section is the dance. The syllables of the text (at-ta-ti, da-ra di-ta-ti-ra) are the syllables that Tatar people would use when they dance, to create rhythm when there are no instruments to play. The voice is accompanied here by triangle and percussive playing on the cello. 

 

The third section is also meditative, but this time it shows the lake: how it’s still and shining, with the reflection of the stars in the water. The vibraphone creates the lake, this shining, silver thing — there is breath, maybe, as we listen to the surrounding environment with all the sounds of the wind, lake, and rustling leaves.