Catherine Mooney, who sings alto in the GSA Choir, writes about her experience of rehearsing Papilionum – composed by Sarah Rimkus, with lyrics by Maria Sibylla Merian.
05:17
Too early to listen to the radio. No Farming Today for me, New Year’s resolution still intact! I close my eyes, maybe I will be able to go back to sleep.
No, the syncopated caterpillar legs get to work. Caterpillars being a key feature, an integral part of the intricate text and lyrics of one of the movements from Sarah Rimkus’ new work for us, Papilionum. Another feature being the rests between phrases, meaning counting is key.
1…’On this tree’…2-3…’are found caterpillars’…4-1-2…’with long hairs’…4-1-2…’hard as iron wire’…2-3-4. I remember. I remember the words and the counting. I still can’t count in my head. We had a second rehearsal in the same week last night. I am enjoying our time travel to Suriname seeing through the eyes of renowned botanist, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 – 1717). There are 5 movements: Ananas (Pineapple), Jasmynboom (Jasmine tree), Carduus Spinosus (Thistle), Pompelmoes (Grapefruit), Cacau Boom (Cocoa tree). When I am at choir my mind turns to the rich botanical drawings the music describes.
The predawn review of last night is pleasantly comforting. Anxious that the speed of the music will keep me awake, I counter that by drawing the duvet over my head.
With such intricate rhythms, and different rhythms within each voice part, our speed of learning can be slow. It takes us 2 minutes to learn every second of music. Last night it took 2 hours to learn one movement called Pompelmoes that is 50 seconds long. Jamie, our Musical Director, is patient. I don’t know how he keeps going. We repeat and repeat. We repeat the words in correct rhythm, off beat, on beat, in time and inevitably – occasionally – wrongly; in every combination: altos and basses; sopranos and basses; basses and tenors; tenors and sopranos etc. When altos are not singing I visualise what the plants we are singing about would look like as cut flowers in a bouquet. ‘Tutti’, Jamie shouts, bringing me back.
Throughout the evening everyone is intent on keeping up. There is no social chit chat. We are all trying really hard. This is cardio for the brain. I was a bit sad to leave without having time to hear it all put together; we ran out of time. Now I have the whole practice playing over like a private performance. I really enjoy these vivid interludes replaying the music in my head. This means that I now know Pompelmoes properly. If I am lucky this will happen every morning until the next rehearsal.
07:15
I have slept in. The caterpillars are still tapping away. It is going to be a good day.