Dramatic Recital for Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano
Music by Christopher Fulkerson
Text by Ray Bradbury
THE CITY
Oil on canvas, 21" x 36"
by Christopher Fulkerson, ca. 1979
For a larger version of this image CLICK HERE
A MIRACLE OF RARE DEVICE was completed in 2003. It is a tour-de-force, verbatim setting of the short story by Ray Bradbury. The title comes from the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which it quotes. Its three acts total eighty three minutes of music. This work may be given staged or unstaged. CF has also set the Coleridge poem; for more about this go to KUBLA KHAN.The Ray Bradbury text is used by permission.
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The Scenario:
Act One: While on a long drive in their Model T jalopy on a mountain road in the Arizona desert in the 1950s, lifelong drifters Robert Greenhill and William Bantlin see a panoramic vision of New York City suspended in the sky. Recovering somewhat from their awe, they decide to stake a claim on the only convenient vista point, in order to charge passers-by for the right to park and view the mirage.
Act Two: Soon however they learn that each viewer sees a different city: one sees Rome, another sees Paris; yet another, London. When one especially lucrative customer, called the Architect, begins quoting the poem Kubla Khan, Bob and Will see Coleridge's vision of Xanadu. Even more amazed than before, the two drifters are just debating the wisdom of their scheme when they are interrupted by their longtime archrival, motorcyclist Ned Hopper, whom they had successfully avoided earlier. Ned has the paperwork to jump their claim. Rather than argue, Bob and Will quietly retreat to a nearby hilltop.
Act Three: While surverying Ned's activities in their shared opera glass, their mood of philosophical gloom is ended by a welcome sight: Ned quarreling with everybody around him. Since he never believed in the mirage, he never saw it, and therefore neither did his customers. After angrily refundung their money, Ned storms off on his motorcycle, never to be seen again. Bob and Will regain the vista point but are dismayed that they no longer see the mirage. Just as William is cursing Ned for having spoiled everything, the two men see one last car coming down the road. In it is a family of four, and they stop for a look. First the boy, then the girl, then the mother, then the father sees the mirage. At last Bob abd Will again see it clearly, and together they all stand spellbound, watching the vision of the miraculous city, until the sun sets, and the stars come out.
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This piece may be performed as a recital, or staged as a dance, mime, puppet, or other kind of theater or film piece. It is envisioned as an excellent vehicle for projections or holographic images of the various cities mentioned in the story. It has been given several times in "workshop" renditions of the composer reading the text over the computer realization. Young and old have enjoyed it, and found that its music suits its story.
The fully edited version of this score is in preparation. The composer's "composition draft" is available for perusal. This score is 281 pages in length. A download of the composition draft can be made available.
Hard Copy of the Study Score (composition draft): $60
The Soundfiles are not always satisfactory musically, since they lack dynamics. They do have the virtue of being completely accurate. The soprano's melody is represented by the sound of an oboe. A new version will be made available with the new score.
Download the Soundfile of Act One
Download the Soundfile of Act Two
Download the Soundfile of Act Three
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The photograph on this page is of CF's painting THE CITY, done while living on Lexington Street in El Cerrito. Its approximate resemblance to San Francisco (upside down from the usual aerial view) is coincidental.