Paul Griffiths

invisible threads(for Christian Mason to weave)
Libretto

Zu MM_2385428

Paul Griffiths

invisible threads(for Christian Mason to weave)
Libretto

Zu MM_2385428

2

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

Notes
The text is written in “hyphae”: long lines that echo one another and are phonically related, in that consonantal sounds are restricted tothose in the word “mycelium,” i.e. ‹m›, ‹s› and ‹l›. The letter “s” is not voiced (‹z›, as in “rose”). Other consonantal sounds appear only in the“mushrooms” that occasionally erupt.
Commissioned by the City of Witten for the Wittener days for new music 2023,
financed by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
Der Text ist in „Hyphen“ geschrieben: lange Zeilen, die sich gegenseitig wiederholen und phonetisch verwandt sind, da die Konsonanten auf
die im Wort „Myzel“ vorkommenden Laute beschränkt sind, d. h. „m“, „s“ und „l“. Der Buchstabe „s“ ist nicht stimmhaft („z“, wie in „rose“).
Andere konsonantische Laute kommen nur in den „Pilzen“ vor, die gelegentlich ausbrechen.
Kompositionsauftrag der Stadt Witten für die Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik 2023,
finanziert durch die Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftungzu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto3

prologue [la vraie vie est ailleurs…]

zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

4

I [somewhere else]‘ e r o t i c ‘ m u s h r o o m (+v r) - - - - - - -a lass lay low, slowly loom a male ally, leave, evolve, oh live!, olive, svelte ever, reversely emulous,amass
a mess, messy essay, assay source, ‘Esau, say yes!’, sesame, same ass meme amoammosis, some similar simile, ascesis asocial?, awe, awesome!, mallow, lo, molossus!
amiss
missile silo assail?, aim massy mace, mame, limb loss, lame, moil else lie low, allow asylum?, malice,zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto5‘ d e v o t i o n a l ’ m u s h r o o m (+nt) - - - - - - - - - - - - -mimulous, mimosa, sallow, lily, lea, sea, asail into night’s eternal sentinel, a lantern-lit lamasery, illuminates aso uselessly I say “my soul”, I say, “my soul”, I assume, “my soul”, soul I misassess, I say “my soul”, I assume I

mellay, mace, maul a low ally, awesome!, a lull, more so cease 3zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

6- - - - - - - - - - -measureless solemnity all less Eleusis soar seer seal soil mossy, so mossy, soil
misassess, may I say |4
zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto

7

interlude I [soft ground]‘erotic‘ mushroom - - - - - - - - - - -‘devotional’ mushroom - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -leave, evolve, oh live!, olive, svelte ever, reversely into night’s eternal sentinel, a lantern-lit lamasery, illuminates a

5zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

8- - - - - - - - - - - - - ‘ g e o g r a p h i c a l ’ m u s h r o o m - - - - - - ‘historical’ mushroom -measureless solemnity Pampa Amapá Papua Papamoa Parma Apamea Apam time then time when Sally, slay me,maim me, lay me

6zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto

9II [canon a 4]

‘ c o l o u r ’ m u s h r o o m ’ (+rdnt)

lower mole slowly so loose soil, mum, ace Mahler, seal soma, oo moo, I’m luce madder tan straw salmon
Moa soul lowly, slow moose moil – um – lace lala eel, MOMA, Sioux slew mime, seuce red cyan soot maroon steel Solly,

o’er ol’ moly – oh! – use oil some mace à la Omah meal, sue Sue, lime mousse ultramarine
ower sole ’oly – o sluice! – mews soy’ll sum slace, sala ’e’ll, loo slue slime ’scuse7zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

10- - - -Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths‘ p h y s I o l o g I c a l ’ m u s h r o o m (+htrb) - - - - - - - - - - - -emerald lolly meme, mail mailer, iller lassy, sow all ell illy ileum ilium ileum ilium ileum ilium me see me see me seeseem sail, sailor-miller sassy Lao small, smell lily so the heart beats with the tree in the wind and the breath with thelemon Molly seam sale, alar Scylla massy ow, maul mel Milly ilium ileum ilium ileum ilium ileum me see me see mecerulean Olly leam ale, Mailer scilla assy sough Saul, sell silly ileum ilium ileum ilium ileum ilium me see me see me

8zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto11

me see me see me see mesea me see me see me see mesee me see me see me seesee me see me see me see

9zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

12

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

interlude II [glowing mushroom]

10
zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto

13

III [growing buds—in contrary emotion]‘appeal‘ mushroom - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -infinitely involuted, the world is threading througho my amour! my sea! my sail! say my name! call me! o my loose moss! my summer oil! o my solemn psalm! my missal!
I mourn so solar a loss, I miss you! I mourn, I lower my eye, I mourn, I mourn, a slow, slow sloom, II race a mile, see a
I miss my aim, alas, all loss, a loose moil, a slow slough, a useless loom, Ijoy! a lease all summer! o allow me a say! all summer a lease, a murmurous sea! o oil my salsa! a scilla, a lily! o11
zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

14

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths

the world, the world is threaded through with world, do not—!
o my early allure! my same oasis! say my name! call me! do not—!
mislay my own soul, so sore a loss, a limb, I mourn, I moan, do not—!
mule, race a mile, see a mule, race a mile, see a mule, I do not—!
I murmur a memory: some asylum I left, save me someone! do not—!
slay me, I’ll say “do not—!”
joy! a summer lease! o joy, o joy! all summer I say, o do not—!

12zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto

15

IV [the lime wood]

my phloem, flow, take me with you into the earth

flow my phloem
my xylemmy xylemmy green blood touching into the earth

Milo amyl sycee isomer silo lisle Siam lisle Milo [etc.]

13
zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

16

Christian Mason: invisible threads / Text: Paul Griffiths‘source/dIspersal’ mushroom - - - - - -my ally, my miler ally,lie, lie, lie my ice, lie my isle, lie my lye, lie my mile, lie my sice, lie my sile
my xylem, my green blood touching into the earth
I’m Milo, miler Milo, my Milo, Milo

14
zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

Libretto‘flow’ mushroom - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -17‘association’mushroom - -my ally, my smileless allylie my slice, lie my smile, lie, lie, lie, lie my isle, my ice, my sly smile
my phloem, flow, take me with you into the earth

gather — draw — yield

Milo amyl silo isomer Siam lisle [etc.], Milo miler, Milo smiler, Milo, my smileless icy ally, Milo sycee sea sigh sough somy miler, my sly miler

15zu Breitkopf MM 2385428

© 2023 by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden

www.breitkopf.com