Prayer to the Spirit of the New Year (2021)
7 minutes
for soprano and piano
Commissioned by The Firm New Music, Adelaide
First performance by Karina Bailey (soprano) and Yundi Yuan (piano) on September 13th 2021 at Elder Hall, Adelaide, South Australia.
Text by Roberta "Bobbi" Sykes. Used with permission.
7 minutes
for soprano and piano
Commissioned by The Firm New Music, Adelaide
First performance by Karina Bailey (soprano) and Yundi Yuan (piano) on September 13th 2021 at Elder Hall, Adelaide, South Australia.
Text by Roberta "Bobbi" Sykes. Used with permission.
Dear Spirit,
Here we are—at the end of a long year of struggle
Against foes of old—oppression, hunger, pain,
And we stand again at the threshold of a New Year . . .
Let this be a year not just of the same,
Let me not hear again the cry of anguish
From the gaol--
Let me not hear again the sounds of mourning
From young parents . . . of younger infants.
Let me not hear again the crunch
of Baton on bare flesh and bone
And let me not hear again the silence.
Let me not see the un-cried tears
Welling in the eyes of my black sisters
As they perceive even the little dream they had
Die.
And Let me not see the veiled defeat
Behind eyes drugged into dreamtime
In the strained faces of my brothers.
And instead
If I might see the slow dawning begin
the dawn of understanding
the slow opening
of eyes and hearts begin
the slow death
of hypocrisy begin
the slow end
of racism begin
For legend tells us, dear Spirit,
that in the beginning . . .
Roberta Sykes (1943-2010). Used with kind permission by the family.
Here we are—at the end of a long year of struggle
Against foes of old—oppression, hunger, pain,
And we stand again at the threshold of a New Year . . .
Let this be a year not just of the same,
Let me not hear again the cry of anguish
From the gaol--
Let me not hear again the sounds of mourning
From young parents . . . of younger infants.
Let me not hear again the crunch
of Baton on bare flesh and bone
And let me not hear again the silence.
Let me not see the un-cried tears
Welling in the eyes of my black sisters
As they perceive even the little dream they had
Die.
And Let me not see the veiled defeat
Behind eyes drugged into dreamtime
In the strained faces of my brothers.
And instead
If I might see the slow dawning begin
the dawn of understanding
the slow opening
of eyes and hearts begin
the slow death
of hypocrisy begin
the slow end
of racism begin
For legend tells us, dear Spirit,
that in the beginning . . .
Roberta Sykes (1943-2010). Used with kind permission by the family.
Bookended by undulating and gently persistent quaver rhythms, the work sets a scene of optimism and reflection tinged at first with weariness, but ending with hope. At times prayerful and at other times angular and dissonant, the music shifts throughout to reflect the various images evoked by the poet- anguished cries, physical distress, loss and hopelessness, all eventually giving way to renewal, understanding, and new beginnings.
This work is also available in an arrangement for solo soprano or solo trumpet with wind ensemble. Score and parts available from Matt Klohs Publishing.
This work is also available in an arrangement for solo soprano or solo trumpet with wind ensemble. Score and parts available from Matt Klohs Publishing.