A Moon, A Minute A Cappella - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1262540

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During the spring of 2014 four of Jupiter’s moons captured my imagination with their distinctive features as well as the powerful myths associated with each name. For Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, and Io the musical ideas I would use for each became clearer the more I researched. I chose a mixed choir to convey these ideas as the human voice can convey the awe and unknown of space more convincingly than most instruments. Each movement is intended as a vignette evoking what impacted me the most about each moon:

I. Europa
Able to drive Jupiter wild with her beauty, Europa was stolen away by the god and proved bountiful to her captor. The moon may have the potential to support life and is now a primary target of our scientific efforts. This movement celebrates this vitality with driving rhythms supporting a soothing melodic line.

II. Ganymede
This movement is a lament for the youth and beauty that once had male and female lovers pining for Ganymede. The moon that shares his name, however, has lost its youth and has been declared geologically dead. Written for the males of the chorus this movement features stacking triads and evokes our past where the highest and most beautiful male voices were adored.

III. Callisto
Nearly killed by her own son after Hera (Jupiter’s wife) spitefully transformed her into a bear, Callisto was a beautiful nymph who Jupiter set amongst the stars as Ursa Major. The moon itself has had its share of harm: in the heavy bombardment period it was impacted multiple times by large objects, the many craters of which are visible. I wrote this movement as if it were a reassuring lullaby and is to be performed by the female voices. A solo oboe* carries the melody over thick chords and is later intertwined with the choir.
- *While oboe is the original intent for this movement a flute or violin would make for an acceptable substitution.

IV. Io
Io is a woman who suffered greatly under Jupiter’s lust and the bitterness of Hera’s jealousy. This moon represents the frustrations of suffering with its hundreds of active volcanoes and undying rumblings beneath the surface. Because of this it is one of the most tumultuous objects in our galaxy. The choir churns forth with motives based off of diminished chords until the pressure built up can no longer be contained – eruption is imminent.

- Matthew Nunes
Windsor, August 2014.