WATER PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF WATER

BACKGROUND-Boston’s leading music critic, and many leading musical figures of the period, scoffed at Dvorak’s embrace of American Indian music as a source for a distinctly American musical identity. Contrarily, Dvorak himself championed the idea, “Since I have been in this country I have been deeply interested in the national music of the Negroes and the Indians. The character, the very nature of a race is contained in its national music. For that reason my attention was at once turned in the direction of these native melodies” (New York Herald, 1893).
For many decades scores of non-Indian attempts to incorporate the indigenous styles into contemporary art music have produced lackluster results, such as the glib “American Indianist” movement. It is the Indigenous composers ourselves that speak with musical authority, with the “authentic voice” as it’s known in literary circles.
The most seasoned of indigenous composers, Dr. Louis Wayne Ballard, put it this way (1972), “It is not enough to acknowledge that Native American music is different” and “marches to a different drum.” “What is needed in America, as it has always needed, is an awakening,” Dr. Ballard insisted, “to embrace, understand, and learn from the aboriginal American what it is that motivates his musical and artistic impulses.” “America has an historical artistic imperative to glorify and foster Native American Indian music,” demands Ballard, “for upon this basis we will ultimately be judged by posterity.”
CHORAL WORK-The Mohicans, Mahheconneok in our own language, are recognized as the “people of the waters that are never still,” the “people of the waters that ebb and flow,” or the “people of the waters that flow backwards.” Our original home was along the Mahheconnuck, now known by its colonial name, the “Hudson River.” The Mahheconnuck is a river that rises and falls with the ocean tides. We are the indigenous people of that tidal river. Mohicans are water people.
Venice is affectionately known as the “City of Water” with canals that rise and fall with the ocean tides. Where Mohicans paddle in long pointed boats called canoes, Venetians row La Serenissima with many long pointed boats such as the sandolo, traghetto or gondola. Venetians are water people.
The new choral work, Water People in the City of Water, combines two tidewater communities together in a musical tribute-Mohican and Venetian voices together on waters that are never still-featuring Native American “vocables” as well as Mahican* and Italian lyrics (*we refer to people using “Mohican” and use “Mahican” for the language). Vocables are sung syllables that express emotion, and do not correspond to any translated meaning of spoken language.
Water People in the City of Water is a song of love for the tidewater people, honoring Mohicans and Venetians alike. The music highlights indigenous stylistic traits blended with methods of the modern choral repertoire. - BMD
MAHICAN LYRICS: Mbei anenapawak (Water people) / Muhhekaneok (Those of the great tidal waters) / Otahacan nounit (Canoe in a good place) / Gaquatsches otawanewan? (Why don’t you visit me?) / Kotschemuk mbei (Water is calling you).
ITALIAN LYRICS: Città d'acqua (City of water) / Quelle delle grandi acque di marea (Those of the great tidal waters) / Voga in un buon posto (Row in a good place) / Perché non vieni a trovarmi? (Why don’t you come and see me?) / L'acqua ti chiama (The water is calling you).
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