HANDSTOGETHER

~The Music of Daniel Bath~

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Quetzalcoatl

here are a few pages from the beginning of the score:

and from the end:

Quetzalcoatl libretto:

CHORUS:

In the beginning

On the earth

There was no music.

In the beginning

On the earth

There was no music.

No birdsong to fill the trees.

No buzzzzzzzzzzz bees.

No gentle beating from the wings of the butterflies.

No babies sleeping to the soft sound of lullabies.

In the beginning

On the earth

There was no music.

In the beginning

On the earth

There was no music.

No thunder to clatter the clouds.

No drummers to ratatat out loud.

No lions roar, no mooing of cattle.

No warriors singing their brave songs of battle.

In the beginning

On the earth

There was no music.

Smoking Mirror, come down to earth.

Look what you’ve created.

What can you see? What can you see? What can you see?

SMOKING MIRROR:

A kaleidoscope of colours and flowers and words

Can’t describe the shapes and sizes of fishes and birds.

CHORUS:

Smoking Mirror, come down to earth.

Look what you’ve created.

What do you think? What do you think?

What do you think?

SMOKING MIRROR:

Well it all looks very nice and I must say I’m pleased

With the rivers and the lakes and the seven great seas.

CHORUS:

Smoking Mirror, come down to earth.

Look what you’ve created.

What can you hear? What can you hear?

SMOKING MIRROR:

Nothing

CHORUS:

Exactly!

Quetzalcoatl!

We need music!

Come with your mighty jaws

Come with your deadly claws

Howling like hurricanes,

Growling like aeroplanes

Dashing with rainbow scales,

Lashing your giant tail.

Flashing with fiery eyes

Thundering through the skies

Unfurl your feathered wings

Shadowing everything

Come to the silent earth

We need music!

QUETZALCOATL:

Who woke me up?

What do you want?

It had better be worth it!

CHORUS:

We need music!

QUETZALCOATL:

Who dares disturb my sleep?

What is it now?

It had better be very important!

CHORUS:

We need music!

QUETZALCOATL:

Music! Music! Music!

SMOKING MIRROR:

All life should be full of music.

The sounds of love and happiness and sadness must be heard.

What is life if we don’t have music?

If the bees can’t buzz

And the sea can’t roar

And the people can’t sing and dance

CHORUS:

All life should be full of music.

And music should be full of life.

BOYS:

Where are the singers?

GIRLS:

In the house of the sun.

BOYS:

Where are the dancers?

GIRLS:

In the house of the sun.

BOYS:

Where are the players?

GIRLS:

In the house of the sun.

ALL:

Having fun in the house of the sun.

SMOKING MIRROR:

But the sun won’t share.

All he does is shine

On his throne, singing “mine all mine”.

ALL:

Go and get the singers

From the house of the sun.

Go and get the dancers

From the house of the sun.

Go and get the players

From the house of the sun.

Make them run from the house of the sun.

Shimmering cymbals

Hammering gongs

Glimmering gamelan

Clamouring songs

Singing and circling

Round his majesty

Drumming and dancing

Sound the melody

Shimmering cymbals

Hammering gongs

Glimmering gamelan

Clamouring songs

Colours to see

Colours to hear

Shining harmony

Bright and clear.

QUETZALCOATL:

Marvellous musicians, come down to earth.

Give the creatures music

To play, sing and dance.

SUN CHORUS:

The earth is horrible, dark and miserable.

The sky is grey and it rains all day.

QUETZALCOATL:

No no!

It’s a kaleidoscope of colours and flowers and words

Can’t describe the shapes and sizes of fishes and birds

CHORUS:

Watch him make a storm with thunder and lightning!

He’s covering us with clouds and we can see nothing!

QUETZALCOATL:

Exactly!

Marvellous musicians, come down to earth.

I’ve got you safe and sound in my feathery embrace!

CHORUS:

The birds lift up their voices to the singers of the sun.

The thunder and the lightning play the rhythm of the drum.

The guitarists strum their harmony on the strings of lovers’ hearts

As the symphony of creation starts.

All life should be full of music.

The sounds of love and happiness and sadness must be heard.

What is life if we don’t have music?

Now the bees can buzz

And the seas can roar

And the people can sing and dance.

All life should be full of music

And music should be full of life.