A Monstrous Little Suite

Instrumentation: 2 (I & II = picc & afl). 2 (II = cor). 3 (III = bcl). 2 (II = cbsn). - 4.2.3.1. - timp. - 3 prc. - piano (=celesta) - Org. (optional) - strings

Percussion: 1.) Suspended Cymbal, Glockenspiel, Tubular Bells, Kit Set up: [2 Opera Gongs, 1 Splash Cymbal, 3 Tin Cans, Brake Drum, Metal Dustbin, KickDrum], Tenor Drum, Tam-tam (shared with prc. 2) 2.) Tam-tam, Crotales, Suspended Cymbal, Tam-tam, Xylophone 3.) Maracas, Bass Drum, 3 Tuned Nipple Gongs†, Flexatone, Suspended Cymbal

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PROGRAMME NOTE

The Monstrous Child is an opera based on the book of the same name by Francesca Simon. It tells the story of Hel, the half-goddess half-corpsedaughter of Loki – and Norse goddess of the dead. Teenage girl from the waist up, but putrid and rotting from the waist down, Hel is banishedto the underworld by the fearful gods and forced to rule the ungrateful dead. However, along with her monstrous brothers, Fenrir the Wolfand Jormungandr the Snake she is fated to kill the gods and destroy the world – and even a goddess can’t change her fate...

It’s impossible to squeeze all of the musical themes from the opera into a twenty-minute orchestral piece, but I’ve tried to be judicious in mychoices. Hopefully I’ve captured the essence of the opera – the humour, the romance, the drama – in this Monstrous Little Suite.

1.) Slither, Plop, Out I Come! is drawn from scene 1 in which the giantess – and wife of Loki – Angrboda, gives birth to her three monstrouschildren. 2.) Hel Is In Love is taken from scene 5 which sees Hel fantasying about the beautiful god Baldr – the one god who showed her anykindness and whom she is now convinced is in love with her. 3.) Hel’s Fate and Ragnarock comes from scene 6 when Hel finally accepts herfate, the Wolf and Snake break free, and the world is destroyed in Ragnarok. 4.) Bìum, Bìum, Bambaló is a spiteful lullaby sung by the giantessAngrboda to her monstrous children in scene 2, and the suite end with, 5.) Stop Fighting! Or I’ll Smash Your Skulls! – the first musical interludein the opera from scene 1 in which the teenage Wolf and Snake get into a scrap!

1. Slither, Plop, Out I Come!
2. Hel Is In Love
3. Hels’s Fate and Ragnarok
4. Bìum, Bìum, Bambaló
5. Stop Fighting! Or I’ll Smash Your Skulls!

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