Butterflies Dance - Matthew Orlovich
Butterflies Dance (2006) is a SATB choral work commissioned by The Australian Voices. The work is a setting of a poem of the same name by Michael J. Smith. It captures the beating of butterflies' wings through the use of word play and rhythmic repetition, resulting in a choral work that is lyrical and playful.
Butterflies come to the water
from mountains, valleys, hills and plains,
Why is it that they come to kiss the salt of the ocean?
Dancing above the waves I see them, there, there,
the butterfly is gone
in the motion of the ocean
or maybe in the belly of a fish,
Your colours belong to you
I shall not speak of their beauty
Butterfly, butterfly dance the dance to die
come kiss the salt of the ocean.
- Michael J. Smith
Score
Recording
Analysis: Main ideas
Structure: through-composed form.
Pitch: Starts in D major, then modulates through to B major, Eb major and finishes in C# major.
Duration: use of rhythmic ostinatos as the driving factor of the piece (imitating the beating of butterflies' wings), with rhythmically simple melodies.Cross rhythms are also used to create contrast.
Tone Colour: Generally sweet in character, with melodies being in the mid-range for each voice. Soaring melodies in soprano in upper register.
Texture: Generally homophonic or polyphonic; textures weaving in and out imitating swarm of butterflies. Swapping of parts between same groups on different sides of the stage create a "surround sound" effect.
Dynamics & Expressive Techniques: varied use of dynamics, with accents and fp emphasising changes in mood and character.