72
Example 2.1: Black Birds, RedHills, First mvt., mm. 1-4
This mood is established by the clarinet and piano duo over the first twelve
measures, and when the viola finally enters the texture, it has a very simple, free, chant-
like melody. The viola line replaced the soprano voice, and thus it is reasonable to
suppose how all the simple one-syllable words that O’Keeffe uses in her narrative fit into
the contour of the line. Indeed, reinserting O’Keeffe’s text on top of the viola melody as
shown in Example 2.2, reveals some text painting, as the melody oscillates between the
pitches g, a-flat and b-flat until it rises up to an e natural on the word “big” as the clarinet
and piano re-enter.
Example 2.2: Black Birds, RedHills, First mvt., mm. 13-17 with “Supposed”
text setting
