Nocturne (2013)

For ‘cello and piano, professional level. $20, including piano score, ‘cello part, and demo disk. About 19:30 in total. Order here. Five movements imagine 3 nocturnal creatures overnight: Dusk – Pipestrelle – Nightjar – Hellbender - Dawn. The creatures that inspire these sounds are uniformly nocturnal and largely unnoticed by the general public.  They are nonetheless in decline owing in whole or part to human influences.  This relatively unseen world harbors many mysteries, fascinations and beauties, and its health has everything to do with the health of the daytime world we inhabit.  To appreciate these things is the essential first step to cherishing them. Video of the premiere performance is here.

I. Dusk Night descends and nocturnal creatures gradually stir amidst quiet and mystery. About 1:30-2:00.

II. Pipistrelle  Any of a number of small bats in the genus Pipistrellus, the name derived from pipistrello, Italian for "bat.”  The Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), also known as the tri-colored bat) of our area is capable of catching an insect every 2 seconds and increasing its body mass by as much as 25% in half an hour.  Though it is not presently listed as threatened, this and many other eastern bats are dying in enormous numbers from a mysterious fungal infection called “white nose syndrome.”  The disease attacks the animals when they are most vulnerable — in their caves during hibernation.  Research suggests that the fungus may have been transmitted on the clothing of cave explorers.  The movement begins with dark, quiet cave sounds.  A fast, zigzag melody in the ‘cello suggests the bat’s erratic flight pattern and quick 2-note leaping motives passed from ‘cello to piano suggest the echolocation used to detect insects on the wing.  A lyrical melody against a lush wash of harmonies evokes the serenity of a warm summer night, murmuring with the gentle songs of cicadas, crickets and tree frogs. About 4:30.

III. Nightjar  Any of a number of swift, medium sized, night flying, insect eating birds of the family Caprimulgidae, including the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), sometimes seen patrolling swiftly in the evening at lighted areas in pursuit of insects, which are caught on the wing.  The Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferous) and the Chuck-will’s-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) are named for their distinctive calls and are much more often heard than seen. Though not officially listed as threatened, their numbers are in decline, as are those of many migratory birds, plagued by habitat loss and extreme exposure to pesticides in Latin America.  The habit of these cryptically patterned birds of nesting on bare ground makes them vulnerable to opportunistic predators, including domestic cats and dogs.  Recent estimates of the number of all birds killed by feral cats and domestic cats allowed to roam outdoors range as high as 3.5 billion per year.  All cats allowed to roam outdoors should be fitted with a bell to warn birds of their approach. The calls of the Whip--poor-will and Chuck-will’s-widow—iconic evening sounds—are woven into the melodic material.  The wide arc of the melody reflects the birds’ strong, swooping flight. About 3:30-4:00.

IV. Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis is a giant salamander of the family Cryptobranchidae, living fossils little changed in the last 160 million years.  The origins of the name are murky, but it probably refers to its appearance -- flattened and slimy, with extra folds of skin along its sides, it can grow to 29 inches and 5 ½ pounds, the largest amphibian in the Western Hemisphere.  Nocturnal and harmless to humans, it is seldom encountered by anyone other than fishermen.   A habitat specialist requiring very specific shallow, fast-moving water conditions, the hellbender is now in decline across its range and listed as near threatened; the Ozark Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) is listed as endangered, with perhaps fewer than 600 individuals living in the wild as of 2011.  Habitat loss, water degradation and collection for the pet trade are significant factors in its decline. The mostly quiet, rising & falling propulsive rhythms suggest an unseen life in rushing water, punctuated by occasional struggles with prey or evading its own predators.  The brief, violent concluding section could be heard as a moment of truth for this species – perhaps another mining operation polluting a suitable stream with silt.  Will an adequate environment be preserved for their survival, or will the hellbender – and the many others that share its world – be abandoned? About 4:05.

V. Dawn Daylight gently replaces the darkness, and for the nocturnal it is the end of the day. Motives & harmonies from earlier are revisited. About 1:00-1:30.