Work

Programme Note

Leopard Lower was originally written for alto, viola, clarinet and percussion. In this form, it has more contemporary classical style.

This 2003 version has been re-scored for 2 voice parts, cor anglais or oboe and string quartet. The text comes from an ancient collection of poetry of the 6th century Japanese poetess – Onono komachi. I wanted to update the piece by presenting it more as a song.

I loved the siplicity of the words but the also the passion of the poem

The “pelog musical scale” (pentatonic) that the vocal melodies are drawn from comes from Indonesia and was inspired by the Ramayana Monkey Chant of Bali.


Jeni Little

Text Note:

Poem by Ono No Komachi

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Influences:

• Indonesian

Performance History

	12 Jun 2006	Performed by the Epsom Girls’ Grammar School Choir and musicians at Auckland Town Hall