Song of Perfect Propriety

The concert was last Sunday, but I will continue on with the programming.

The next piece was entitled "Song of Perfect Propriety."  The composer is Carol Barnett and it is an SSA arrangement with piano.  I looked at the piece last year and was intrigued by it, but was hesitant to program it for two reasons.  The first reason was that the piece is difficult.  The second reason was that the piece is a little outside the box.

I have been confused by the tonality.  Perhaps those better at theory would have a better guess than me.  There are no flats or sharps in the key signature.  The first couple of measures are in D minor and proceeds to touch base with D minor throughout the piece, but often does not stay in D minor.  It ends in D major- sort of.  Except for the last crunch chord of the piano which contains a D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, and C.  Phrygian based on D?  With all the tonality confusion, there is little wonder why the singers have difficult lines.  Combine the difficult notes with ever changing rhythm.  This piece is through composed;  in some ways, this makes the piece easier.  The singers are telling a story (text is below) and while there are stanzas in the poetry, each one has such a distinct character that there is no need to repeat music.

Let me briefly comment on the text.  It is a bit jarring.  Written by feminist Dorothy Parker, it is from the view of a woman who is forced to be in a certain societal role, well-behaved and writing sweet verses.  However, what she really wants is to be a ruthless pirate.  Dorothy Parker means for the text to be sarcastic, but she was highlighting the chains that held some women back from what they wanted to be.

This piece is fun.  It has interesting changes in color.  The color changes with the voice of the woman, depending on if she is being the blood thirsty pirate or the well-mannered lady.  The "pirate" character is a bit more forceful, less polish in the sound.  Carol Barnett writes excellent word painting.  On the word "laugh," she writes four notes with a staccato marking, as if the singers were laughing.  She uses glissandos, articulation, dynamics, intentional consonants, and creative rhythms to pull out the character.  There is even a bit of stomping.

This piece is outside of the box, but I am very glad I programmed it.

Text:
Oh, I should like to ride the seas,
a roaring buccaneer;
A cutlass banging at my knees,
a dirk behind my ear.
And when my captives' chains would clank
I'd howl with glee and drink,
And then fling out the quivering plank
And watch the beggars sink.

I'd like to straddle gory decks,
and dig in laden sands,
And know the feel of throbbing necks
between my knotted hands.
Oh, I should like to strut and curse
Among my blackguard crew...
But I am writing little verse,
as little ladies do.

Oh, I should like to dance and laugh
And pose and preen and sway,
And rip the hearts of men in half,
And toss the bits away.
I'd like to view the reeling years
Through unastonished eyes,
And dip my finger-tips in tears,
And give my smiles for sighs.

I'd stroll beyond the ancient bounds,
And tap at fastened gates,
And hear the prettiest of sounds,--
The clink of shattered fates.
My slaves I'd like to bind with thongs,
That cut and burn and chill...
But I am writing little songs,
As little ladies will.