Piano Accompaniment;
Vocal (Mezzo-Soprano)
SKU: HL.286983
Mezzo-Soprano and
Piano. Composed by
Sadie Harrison. Music
Sales America. Classical.
Softcover. 40 pages.
University of York Music
Press #M570368303.
Published by University
of York Music Press
(HL.286983).
UPC:
888680967628.
My
Hazara People is a
setting of two texts, the
title work by Shukria
Rezaei, a young Afghan
poet, and Lalai, lalai,
babe bacha shikar rafta
(Baby's father went
hunting), a traditional
Hazari lullaby. Although
their characters are
entirely different, the
two poems share much in
common. The importance of
family and home, and
beyond that connection
with country and heritage
are at the centre of
both. Shukria's poem isa
direct expression of love
and despair for
Afghanistan with intimate
moments of terror - a cup
falling from her mother's
hand during an explosion,
her aunt fainting - set
against the suffering of
Hazaras across the world.
In the context of this
devastating contemporary
experience Lalai lalai is
nostalgic and poignant -
open gates, straw
latches, a sleeping
child. The tune of the
lullaby is heard in two
highly contrasted
versions. For Shukria's
words it is dark and
restrained, a repeating
rhythm illustrating the
Hazara's seemingly
never-ending pain, and
for Lalai lalai it is
bright and joyful with
sounds of the hunt,
acrackling fire and a
gentle chorus as the
child is rocked. A
further thread runs
through the music - a
quotation of my favourite
traditional Afghan Herati
lullaby Allah Hu (God is
great), reflecting
Shukria's reference to
her people's religious
heritage. I have adapted
the text at the end of
Lalai Lalai to bring it
into the Shukria's world,
a reminder that each
innocent person caught up
in conflict is a mother,
a brother, a sister, a
father, a daughter ....
kids like us. The work
exists in two versions,
for voice and piano and
voice and strings. The
former was premiered by
Charlotte Tetley
(mezzo-soprano) and
Graeme Bailey (piano) on
20 June 2018 at
Somerville College,
Oxford as part of a panel
discussion on women
refugees. The work was
commissioned by the
Orchestra of St. Johns. I
am indebted to Shukria
for allowing to set her
poem and to Cayenna
Ponchione for inviting me
to be part of this
wonderful collaboration.
- Sadie Harrison.
Lalai
