Author Description
Or Shall We Die? was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra Chorus and was first performed in 1983. Although the text is divided into sections, the momentum of the words carries the music through without a break. Lyrical passages are constantly interrupted by more strident sounds creating a relentless sense of unease. The opening notes provide the thematic basis for what follows, and leitmotifs are established for the Woman and her daughter. Here the orchestration is warm and yearning, but many of the ideas that are now richly scored appear later in much sparer vein. The Woman is rudely curtailed by the chorus whose intervention heralds the first awesome words of the Man. The chorus pose the crucial test of wisdom -- Shall we pass, or shall we die? -- to harmony derived from the opening notes and now extended for the Man's account of the bombing of Hiroshima. He is repeatedly jostled by the chorus parodying a Victorian hymn complacently satisfied by the blessing of the aircrew prior to take-off. The barrage stops abruptly to reveal the Woman searching for her daughter amid the devastation. As the daughter dies, the chorus sings the Victorian hymn now sounding more like a Bach chorale. But once again the music is taken over by a militant ostinato. The inevitable progress is broken only by the questioning of the Woman. The opening music (now inverted) accompanies a return of the initial sentiments of the Woman and, as her family sleep, she awaits dawn with ever growing despair. Finally the couple join together to sing of the nature of science and its inadequacies. The chorus energetically endorse this in a garish setting of Blake's A Divine Image. The couple resume their duet, leading into the final Blake chorale. The chorus returns again and again to the notes of Or shall we die? but now singing the words Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace. There is a half resolution but over the final notes there lies the inevitable question mark.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
The central conflict arises from the existential threat of nuclear annihilation and the moral failure of humanity to prioritize life over destruction. The narrative follows a Woman and a Man as they navigate the aftermath of devastation, specifically referencing the bombing of Hiroshima. Through a series of lyrical passages and strident interruptions, the text explores the tension between maternal grief and the cold, scientific detachment that facilitates global catastrophe. The work utilizes a non-linear, musical structure to convey the urgency of the question posed to the audience: whether humanity will choose survival or extinction.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Use of leitmotifs to represent the Woman and her daughter
- Incorporation of a Victorian hymn as a recurring, ironic motif
- Integration of William Blake’s poetry to frame the thematic conclusion
- Contrast between warm, yearning orchestration and militant, rhythmic ostinato
- Shift between intimate character perspectives and the collective voice of the chorus
- Non-linear progression that mirrors the chaotic nature of the subject matter
- Direct address of the audience through the central, recurring question
- Juxtaposition of scientific discourse with emotional, humanistic responses
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers and critics often note the stark contrast between the intimate, personal grief of the characters and the overwhelming, mechanical nature of the chorus. Discussion frequently centers on the effectiveness of the work's musical structure in conveying a sense of relentless, impending doom. Many highlight the way the text uses historical trauma, such as the bombing of Hiroshima, to anchor its broader philosophical inquiries into the nature of science and morality. The balance between the lyrical, human elements and the harsh, critical commentary of the chorus is frequently cited as the primary driver of the work's atmosphere. Ultimately, the piece is recognized for its ability to maintain a high level of tension through its rhythmic and thematic shifts.
Page Count:
85
Publication Date:
1984-01-01
ISBN-10:
0193354012
ISBN-13:
9780193354012
Drama
Music
Poetry
Social Commentary
ORATORIO