Peter Sculthorpe: The Song of Tailitnama (1984)

Abstract

"The Song of Tailitnama was written for an ABC television documentary film, 'Sun Music for Film', directed by Stafford Garner. Much of the film was concerned with my conception of the work, its composition, rehearsal and subsequent performance. 'Tailitnama' ('Tai' pronounced 'tie') is an Aboriginal totemic centre in central Australia. For my text I chose four verses, in Aranda, from a rock wallaby song associated with this area. The verses concern the glowing of the mountains, the coming of dawn and the singing of the Ilbirbia bluebirds as they soar to the sky. The Song of Tailitnama opens with a slow vocalise, followed by a short episode which leads to the main part of the work, a long dance-like section, in the latter half of which the Aranda verses are sung. These verses lead to the climax, after which follows an expansion of the opening vocalise and a hon coda." -- Peter Sculthorpe