Deborah Mason

Scenario for Baritone and Mosquito (for Baritone and Piano Trio)

Year: 2023

Duration (in minutes): 10

Difficulty: High (professional)

Category: piano trio (vln, vc, pno), solo voice(s) with chamber ensemble

Instruments: baritone voice, cello, piano, violin

Publisher: debmason1@aol.com

Score PDF: Scenario-for-Baritone-and-Mosquito-Score.pdf

Description: Two poems by D.H. Lawrence, only one interrupts the other. The poet undoubtedly entertained his listeners with reading the elaborate, poetic insults and expletives in "The Mosquito", who is played by the violin. Aware D.H. Lawrence 1885-1930 Slowly the moon is rising out of the ruddy haze, Divesting herself of her golden shift, and so Emerging white and exquisite; and I in amaze See in the sky before me, a woman I did not know I loved, but there she goes and her beauty hurts my heart; I follow her down the night, begging her not to depart. The Mosquito (excerpts) BY D. H. LAWRENCE When did you start your tricks Monsieur? What do you stand on such high legs for? You exaltation? I heard a woman call you the Winged Victory In sluggish Venice. You turn your head towards your tail, and smile. How can you put so much devilry Into that phantom shred of a frail corpus? But I know your game now, streaky sorcerer. How you stalk and prowl the air In circles and evasions, enveloping me, Ghoul on wings Winged Victory. It is your high, hateful bugle in my ear. That sounds so amazingly like a slogan A yell of triumph as you snatch my scalp. Why do you do it? Surely it is bad policy. I behold you stand for a second enspasmed in oblivion, Obscenely ecstasied Sucking live blood My blood. Such gorging, Such obscenity of trespass. You stagger, as well as you may, you winged blood-drop. You speck! (smashes it) What a big stain my sucked blood makes Beside the infinitesimal faint smear of you!