daron aric hagen
|
The New Yorkersduet for two voices (2011) Premiere6 October 2011 Galapagos Arts Center, DUMBO Brooklyn, NY Martha Guth, soprano; David Adam Moore, baritone; Jocelyn Dueck, piano Instrumentation2 voices.pf
Duration5'
TextDaron Hagen
Program NoteCommissioned by Five Boroughs Music Festival, for the Five Boroughs Songbook, The New Yorkers was first performed on 6 October 2011 at the Galapagos Arts Space, DUMBO, in Brooklyn, New York, by Martha Guth, soprano; David Adam Moore, baritone; and Jocelyn Dueck, piano. Versions of this song for solo high voice and solo low voice are also available. LYRICS A 64-year-old couple strolls northwards up Broadway at dusk.
ONE You had just turned twenty‐four.
We were walking south on Broadway. We had spent the night before Making love on the floor, Wanting more and more to play At keeping house someday.
The City rose and stretched around us.
You took my hand and laughed, As overhead the branches soughed And whispered. BOTH We sang: “We can beat New York at its own game. We are special; we are bound for fame. Either we use Gotham or it uses us. Either way, we’re young; we’re here; We swallow all our fears; we brush back our tears; We know that it takes years and years.” THE OTHER I had just turned thirty‐four. We were strolling north on Broadway. We had spent the night before, At the theater, singing Sondheim, Wondering more and more, Whether we would ever have those kids. The City lay in shock around us.
You touched my cheek and sighed, As on the sidewalk people cried and looked up at the sky. BOTH
We sang: “We can beat New York at its own game. We are special; we are bound for fame. Either we use Gotham or it uses us. Either way, we’re young; we’re here; We swallow all our fears; we brush back our tears; We know that it takes years and years.” ALTERNATING
Now we’ve both turned sixty-four. We are walking south on Broadway. We have spent the day walking, And taking stock, and talking, Caring less and less about the days We thought that we were special.
The City scrapes the sky above us.
I meet your eyes and smile.
We’ve raised our kids, we won’t grow old alone.
We’ve loved this City as our own,
BOTH
Singing, “We can love New York on its own terms.
We know we don’t matter much, if at all.
It was always just a dream (or maybe not).
Anyway, we’ve lived our lives here;
And we’d do it all again (or maybe not).
We’ll never, ever leave this town.
And we would do it all again." (Or maybe not). — Daron Hagen, 2011
|
