...jy die pad...
for tenor, violin, violoncello and piano
Composition details
Instrumentation
Tenor, Violin, Violoncello, Piano
Lyrics/Text
Ingrid Jonker
Duration
c. 15′
Year of composition
2009-2012
Movements
-
Opdrag (Ontvlugting, 1956)
-
Ek het gaan soek na my eie hart (Rook en Oker, 1963)
-
Gistraand (Rook en Oker, 1963)
-
Ramkietjieliedjie (Rook en Oker, 1963)
-
Afskeid (Ontvlugting, 1956)
Other versions
Composer's statement
This song cycle consists of settings of five poems by South African poet, Ingrid Jonker. My conceptual ideas for each song can be summarised as follows.
Opdrag
In Opdrag I introduce a short cell in the violoncello. This cell is expanded and imitated by two voice line in the piano. This cell also transposes with semitones, and explores different pitch classes of the chromatic scale. The violin has its own motif that later supports the tenor.
Ek het gaan soek na my eie hart
For this song, I worked with two cells, each derived from Set Theory principles. The first cell (Bb, C, Db) and its compliment – the second cell – (D, Eb, F) are used as a basis throughout the composition, but different transpositions, passing tones, and instances of the sets were employed.
Gistraand
In this song, I devoted the majority of the material for the right hand to the white keys of the piano and the majority of the material for the left hand to the black keys of the piano. I used a short motif in the piano that repeats, get out of sync and back into sync again. The tenor line is colouristic, whereas the violin and violoncello play short tones to create alternative colours.
Ramkietjieliedjie
The material of Ramkietjieliedjie is a combination of the three songs mentioned above. I wanted to combine the conceptual ideas in a single song, and also create a sense of unity among the different songs.
Afskeid
When I composed Afskeid, I wanted to follow a more through-composed form where the accompaniment follows the emotion expressed in the text. This song also works more with melody and conventional harmony, rather than abstract conceptual ideas.
Translation of texts
I
Wees jy die pad waarlangs ek weer
kaalvoet deur die dubbeldorings loop
na waar die varing en die varkblom bloei
– die gousblom kranse oor die velde knoop…
I
Be the road which I take back
over the devil’s thorns, barefoot striding
to where the fern and arum-lily bloom
– the daisies in the fields garlands entwine…
II
Ek het gaan soek na my eie hart
en lank nadat ek verdwaal het
in die dae wat verbytrek met hul lower
in die lug blou van verte en afsydigheid
het ek gedink dat ek my hart sou vind
waar ek jou oë die twee bruin vlinders
gehou het en ek het die swalu sien opvlieg
en skaduwees spreeus
II
I went in search of my own heart
and long after I got lost
in the days that passed with frond
in the sky blue of distance and detachment
I thought that I would find my heart
where I kept your two brown butterfly eyes
and the swallows be seen to rise
and starlings’ shadows
III
gistraand in jou arms
by die perdeskoenmaan
pluk ons ‘n klawer
met vier blare aan
vandag bly ek staan
op die werf by die blik
my hart agterdogtig
soos ‘n hoender wat pik
aan een korrel – ‘n klip
wat skeur deur die hange
die liefde’s niks anders
as die verlange
III
last night in your arms
at the horseshoe-shaped moon
we picked a clover
with four leaves upon
today I am still standing
in the yard on the patch
my heart is distrustful
like a chicken that scratch
at one grain a rock
that rips through the hangings
love is nothing else
but my longing
IV
Net waar ek gaan
is ‘n pad voor my oop
wat skerp uit my oë
soos ‘n litteken loop
Hoe die dag ook verblou
of rooikam om my
ek volg net my hartseer
en die naambord is jy
IV
Wherever I go
an open path lies ahead
which runs sharp-angled
from my eyes like a scar
However the day progresses
orange red and blue
I follow my pain
and road sign has your name
V
Dit was jou laaste onversoenb’re wens
Dit lê my laaste hoop aan bande
Daarna was ek nie meer dieselfde mens
en staan ek met jou skraal groet in my hande
En leef jy in portrette en ou drome
en leef jy in my siel volmaak en vry:
Wit vlieg die voëls verby die bome
Uit tien wit briewe spreek jou stem tot my.
Toe moes ek my van andere afwend
En toe my ongeneesbaarheid vermoed
Jy sal jouself vir my nooit skend
Want in my hande lê jou laaste groet.
V
It was your last unforgiving fancy
It limits my last hope to strands
After this I was not the same me
and your thin greeting I now have in my hands
You live in portraits and time-worn dreams
and you live in my soul complete and free:
White birds are flying past the trees
From ten white letters your voice speaks out to me.
From others I had to avert myself
And then suspect my incurability
For me you’ll ne’er defile yourself
in my hand lies your last farewell.
Original texts: Ingrid Jonker
Translated texts: Ann-Lize Boshoff
Recordings
This composition was recorded by Siyabonga Maqungo and the Chamber Music Company of London.
Performances
3 October 2009. Fresh Conncetions, Miriam Makeba Theatre, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. [Ek het gaan soek na my eie hart]. Siyabonga Maqungo (Tenor), Mark Troop (Piano), Jonathan Truscott (Violin), Ben Hess (Violoncello) [Chamber Music Company of London].
Music score
The music score of this composition can be ordered from the composer through the contact page. Please ensure that you provide the correct title and version/instrumentation of the composition that you would like to order.