Score mm. 12-18; std.rec 2:12- 2:40 ; perf 1:11 – 1:34.
In each of the versions of Timelines, Clarence Slockee and Matthew Doyle improvise in Sydney language, over the seven bar interlude:
Na lu yan ya gul ‘let’s go, walk together,
Garrabarra yiribana Barray bagu ‘we sing and dance today for tomorrow
A rhythmic vamp over a bass pedal ‘F’ follows (mm.27; std.rec 3:40; perf. 2:02) and provides a rhythmic release from the ‘repository’ of music subjects. This passage just lets music flow for its own sake. This passage is a creative space for the jazz pianist to evoke the stylistic-blend of blues, folk and gospel innovated in of the 1970s by pianist Keith Jarrett.449
A softer reflective passage also over a pedal features the timbre change of the una corda pedal. (mm.41-47; std.rec 3:40; perf. 2:47) The left hand, bass register is improvised. The Indigenous singer talks in Sydney language, about everyday things, today yagunia, yiaburra …., we’ll fish magari….,.long time tarinmi…. dudyibalng Gadigal Eora ……… acknowledge the people…. eh….did-yerre -goor ……. no more, Burramatta ……… im Gadigal……….. Biir Birra gal – clan names.
In the live performance (perf. 2:47-3:24), at 3:24 the distinctive sound of the lowest G0 of the Stuart piano is sounded in the improvisation.
Barrabul-la Chant : Score mm. 49-69; std.rec 5:24- 7:05 ; perf 3:43 -4:43
Edward Jones’s transcription of the Barrabul-la chant sung by Woollarawarre Bennelong and his young kinsman Yemmerawanne in 1793 is sung by Clarence Slockee in the live performance (perf.3:40) and Matthew Doyle in the studio recording (std.rec 5:24), starting at mm.5 of the Collins transcription.
Chant mm.70 std.rec7:06 perf.4:45-5:36
Pierre-Francis Bernier’s transcription of Chant, is played on the Stuart piano with the combination of the dolce and una corda pedals, for a very soft, legato sound-
Love Our Light + Harry’s Chant. mm.77; std.rec 8:40; perf. 5:37;
The ‘Love Our Light’ theme heard in Ancient & New is set here in F# major with for the Jazz Trio in 5/8 metre. The piano music is improvised joyously, embarking on an anticpated cross-cultural interaction, the cohabitation of European music with Sydney’s Aboriginal music in the form of Harry’s Chant. The clapping sticks evoke the union in the studio recording. (std.rec 8:40) The bass and drums of the jazz trio evoke the union in the live performance, (perf. 5:44). Harry’s Chant is sung by Clarence Slockee in the live performance, (perf. 6:15), and by Matthew Doyle in the studio recording (std.rec 9:30). The bright sonorous key of F# major is adopted from the key of Messiaen’s motet used in Ancient & New.
449 Keith Jarrett, Bremen/ Lausanne, Recorded 1973 ECM 1035/1036/1037, 1973, Compact disc.
