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A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ELLWOOD DERR'S

/ NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY
by
Courtney Jade Sherman

A Research Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Musical Arts

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

May 2008

UMI Number: 3304882

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A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ELLWOOD DERR'S

I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY
by
Courtney Jade Sherman

has been approved

April 2008

Graduate Supervisory Committee:

Jerry Doan, Chair
Robert W. Oldani
Robert Barefield
Robert Mills
Dale Dreyfoos

ACCEPTED BY THE GRADUATE COLLEGE

ABSTRACT
This research paper examines Ellwood Derr's i" Never Saw
Another Butterfly, a song cycle for soprano, alto saxophone, and
piano. The cycle consists of five songs with poetry by children who
were incarcerated in the Terezin ghetto for Jews, deported to
Auschwitz, and all of whom died by October 1944. The present writer
reviewed literature concerning historical information about Terezin,
Czech Republic. In addition to her research, she engaged in a musical
examination of the work, resulting in a commentary on the musical
elements of the song cycle and how they express the text.
Methodology included the performance of a lecture recital of the work,
during which historical information and a performance analysis of the
song cycle were provided before a performance of the work was
presented. Research, analysis, and performance experiences revealed
that Ellwood Derr composed this song cycle as a chamber work for
three performers, and he utilized several musical devices with which to
communicate the emotion of the texts. Furthermore, the recurrence of
musical devices and other cyclical elements support the conclusion
that this work fits the definition of a song cycle.

in

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION

MUSICAL COMMENTARY ON I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY

A PERFORMANCE GUIDE

34

CONCLUSIONS

60

SOURCES CONSULTED

66

APPENDIX A: COPYRIGHT PERMISSION

67

IV

Introduction
This research paper examines Ell wood Derr's I Never Saw
Another Butterfly, a song cycle for soprano, alto saxophone, and
piano. The cycle consists of five songs with poetry by children who
were incarcerated in the Terezin ghetto for Jews, deported to
Auschwitz, and all of whom died by October 1944. In addition to
research, the present writer engaged in a musical examination of the
work, resulting in a commentary on the musical elements of the song
cycle and how they express the text. Methodology included the
performance of a lecture recital on the work, during which historical
information and a performance analysis of the song cycle were
provided. Research, analysis, and performance experiences revealed
that Ellwood Derr composed this song cycle as a chamber work for
three performers, and he utilized several musical devices and an
unusual instrumentation with which to communicate the emotion of
the texts. Furthermore, the recurrence of musical devices and other
cyclical elements supports the conclusion that this work fits the
definition of a song cycle.
Historical Information
Terezfn is located sixty kilometers northwest of present day
Prague, Czech Republic. Joseph I I established the walled garrison in
1780, which he named Theresienstadt after his mother, Empress Maria

2
Theresa. The garrison grew to a small town of 8,000 people at its
largest. In early 1941, the population of Terezin was 3,700 people.
By the end of October 1941, Jews were forbidden to leave Europe. The
Nazis had begun to carry out the Final Solutionto kill all living Jews.
Although Nazi ideology was imbued with extreme hatred for the Jews,
it was punctuated with the need to conceal the horror of mass
genocide. A major obstacle facing the Nazis was how to complete the
Final Solution while keeping their treatment of the Jews hidden from
the rest of the world. 1
In the fall of 1941, the small town of Terezfn was turned into a
Jewish ghetto. The Germans called it Theresienstadt, reverting to its
original name. Originally, it served as a settlement and an assembly
camp. In January 1942, it was given a third function: to serve as a
model ghetto, providing a false impression to the outside world of the
Nazi treatment of the Jews.2 The first two transports to Terezin
carried 342 Jewish men, who were taken there to prepare the fortress
1

Hana Volavkova, ed, i" Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children's

Drawings and Poems from Terezfn Concentration Camp, 1942-1944,
with a foreword by Chaim Potok (New York: Schocken Books* 1993),
xi-xxi.
2

Livia Rothkirchen, The Jews of Bohemia and Moravia: Facing the

Holocaust (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2005; Jerusalem:
Yad Vashem, 2005), 233.

3
for the arrival of thousands more condemned Jews. During the height
of its operation, Terezin housed 60,000 people. At that capacity, each
person was allowed 1.6 square meters of ground space in which to
move. This included the streets. The average workload was eighty to
one hundred hours per week.3
The Terezin ghetto was established as an autonomous
community; however, all the laws were established and strictly
enforced by the Germans. For instance, the act of smuggling a letter
to relatives on the outside was punishable by hanging. There was a
Council of Elders comprised of Jewish leaders, who were responsible
for things such as cultural activities and food distribution. They were
also charged with preparing the list of those Jews who were to be
deported. Whether the Elders knew they were sending their fellow
inmates to their deaths remains unknown. Although the Nazis were
concerned about maintaining the image of the Terezin camp to the
outside world, they had no intention of keeping any of the Jews alive
to see the end of the war.4

Jana Renee Friesova, Fortress of my Youth, translated by Elinor

Morrisby and Ladislav Rosendorf (Madison: The University of Wisconsin
Press, 2002), viii-ix, 2.

Volavkova, xvi-xviii.

4
The ghetto at Terezin became home to many intellectuals and
artists. The despair of captivity produced an abundance of artwork,
poetry, and music. In addition to the Council of Elders, the
Administration of Free Time Activities (Freizeitgestaltung) was
established. Those employed by this Administration were excused
from manual labor. Such employment was a blessing, for the artists
were permitted to practice their art. A handful of compositions written
in the Terezin ghetto survived. Among them is Viktor Ullmann's opera
Der Kaiser von Atlantis.5
In December 1942, Friedl Dicker-Brandeis came to Terezin. She
was one of a group of artists who taught art classes in the ghetto. In
the ghetto, however, she painted little, choosing to save the supplies
for the children, who experienced art therapy at the hands of their
caring and dedicated teacher. She focused her energy on creating an
environment for the children that would allow them to express
themselves safely. Brandeis was deported to Auschwitz on October 6,
1944. She died in Birkenau.6 It is because of prisoners like Viktor
Ullmann and Friedl Dicker-Brandeis that the surviving memories of

Joza Karas, Music in Terezin 1941-1945 (New York: Beaufort

Books Publishers, 1985), 202.

Volavkova, xx.

5
Terezin include works of art, such as musical compositions and the
poetry and drawings of children.
EEEwood Derr
Ellwood Derr was born in 1932. He graduated from the Eastman
School of Music where he received a Bachelor of Music degree with
honors in composition and German. He received a Master of Music
degree from the University of Illinois. After his first year as a doctoral
student in composition, he left the University of Illinois to study
musicology at the University of Munich. Concurrently, he studied
composition with Carl Orff at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik.
While in Germany, he was a scholar of the Alexander von Humboldt
Stiftung. He finished his DMA at Illinois after completing study in
Germany.
As the founder and continuo harpsichordist, Derr performed with
the New Purcell Society in Munich. The ensemble, which included
singers and instrumentalists, focused on stylistically oriented
performances of Baroque music. Upon taking an appointment at the
University of Michigan in 1962, Derr continued his performances of
Baroque music.
Much of Derr's scholarly work and performing experience focused
on music of the eighteenth century, which informed his teaching of

6
courses related to the counterpoint and performance practices of the
classical period. His research focused on composers' borrowing
practices, performance practice issues, and Johann Sebastian Bach as
composition teacher. Derr has published articles in leading journals in
the United States and Europe, including an essay on Johann Christian
Bach and Mozart, which appeared in the Mozart-Jahrbuch 1997. Derr
discovered the autograph manuscript of Claude Debussy's Piano Trio in
G, a work that was thought to be lost. Derr restored twenty-five
measures in the piano and violin parts of the finale. The trio was
published by the G. Henle Verlag of Munich, and now appears on many
recordings.7
Poetry by the children of Terezin supplies the text for Derr's
musical representation of the Jewish ghetto and its young captives.
The poems were used with permission of the State Jewish Museum of
Prague, Czech Republic. The functional title for Derr's song cycle is I
Never Saw Another Butterfly.

It is the composer's request that the full

title be printed whenever possible:

http://www.music.umich.edu/alumni_donors/documents/Derr.pdf.
(Accessed February 28, 2008)

7
"/ Never Saw Another Butterfly Song Cycle for Soprano voice,
Alto Saxophone, and Piano. On the Poems by children who were
incarcerated in the Nazi ghetto for Jews in Terezin,
Czechoslovakia (1942-1944) and who died in Auschwitz before
the end of October 1944."
I Never Saw Another Butterfly was composed in 1966 and
published by Dorn Productions in 1977. Derr composed the work as a
chamber cantata for three performers, directing that it be performed in
its entirety. To relegate the saxophone and piano to instrumental
background or to omit one or more movements in performance would
be contrary to the composer's concept. At the front of the score, Derr
has dedicated J Never Saw Another Butterfly "to the everlasting
memory of the children who suffered and made these poems and to all
others who shared their fate."

Musical Commentary on I Never Saw Another

Butterfly

"Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]"

The work begins with a recitative movement titled "Prologue:
Terezin [Theresienstadt]." This poem vividly describes the desolation
of a young child who has experienced the terror of a Nazi ghetto and
now has only memories of a happier childhooda boy who is no longer
a child, for he has learned hate and fear. This movement is scored for
voice and piano, with the alto saxophone entering as a continuation of
the final note for the voice. The song expresses a series of complex
and intense emotions, which are depicted musically with extremes in
dynamic range. The voice begins pp, while the piano begins pppuna
corda, only if necessary. The first sonority to be sounded is four
octaves of C#'s (the four lowest on the piano keyboard). The soprano
begins the recitative on C*4.8 The pitch and dynamic level of the voice
create a speech-like sense of despair. The piano and voice increase in
pitch and in dynamics, culminating on the word "fear." Here, the
soprano sings ffff on A6. The piano starts softly on octave C#'s. Next,
the G* is added. On the word "fear," the pitches D and A are added.
These two pitches form an open fifth sonority and when added to the

The present writer uses the octave indication system that is standard
in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing,
according to which A1-G1 represents the lowest octave on the
keyboard.

9
already existing fifth of C# and G # , an alarming dissonance is created.
With both lines of the piano sounding on high pitches in the treble clef,
and the soprano achieving a scream-like sound on the ffffA6 on an [i]
vowel, an intense effect is created for the word "fear," as can be seen
in Example 1.

ffff

fear.

Example 1 . Ellwood Derr, "Prologue: Terezm [Theresienstadt],"/

Never Saw Another Butterfly, score 6.9 1977 Dorn Productions,
international copyright secured, all rights reserved.
Immediately following, the dissonance is released, and the open fifths
return in a series of softer dynamics that move downward in a
9

There are no bar lines in "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]." The

present writer refers to musical elements according to the system in
which they occur, labeling each system as "score one," "score two," et
cetera.

10
stepwise fashion, each marked subito. Further, the vocal line lowers in
pitch, returning to the original pitch level, centered around C*4.
The poetry continues in a new direction, recalling the past, and
hoping that the former life will return. The word "laugh" is given
significant treatment. The melodic motion of an E# resolving to an F#
followed by a D# resolving to an E over a pedal of an open fifth
containing the pitches C# and G # , as well as a distinctive dotted
rhythm highlight this word, as seen in Example 2. As with the word
"fear," the musical devices breathe life into the word "laugh."
tenuto

f^S
A

child

#n

#==F
a - gain, and start to

laugh

and play.

n
zc

mf

- &

Example 2. Ellwood Derr, "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstad.t]," J

Never Saw Another Butterfly, score 7. 1977 Dorn Productions,
international copyright secured, all rights reserved.

11
Following a tenuto on the word "play," the soprano continues the
recitative over the open fifth. The next sound from the piano
simplifies the texture by returning to the octave C#'s heard in the
beginning of the song. Since there are no bar lines until the
saxophone entrance on the final system, the chords in the piano serve
to separate the thoughts and shifts of emotion in each line of poetry.
With the exception of a few select places, they are never sounded
simultaneously with the text of the soprano, but rather, between
words, as the soprano sustains a note, or during a rest in the soprano
line. There are three occasions in which the articulation in the piano
line matches that in the vocal line. The first instance is on the seventh
score of the song, on the word "laugh." The second is on score nine,
on the word "once," as the open fifth is intensified with the addition of
the Fx. The final instance of matching articulation, on scores ten and
eleven, consists of a group of three iterations of the word "weep," just
before the saxophone enters. As seen in Example 3, the first
statement of the word "weep" is given a very similar treatment to that
of the word "laugh," seen in Example 2 above. The composer has
connected the ideas of laughter and weeping by highlighting these
words with the same dotted figure, the same tessitura, and by
allowing two of the three instances of matching articulation to take

place on these words. This emphasizes the subtext of the poem: the
laughter of children has turned to tears.
ffff

so I could

molto cjllsrg.

weep,
^

dim s i n ' a l fine

waop,

SffffZ

=
*o=
mf

~JEC

~&8-

Example 3. Ellwood Derr, "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]," J

Never Saw Another Butterfly, score 10-11. 1977 Dorn Productions,
international copyright secured, all rights reserved.

Largo

Alto
sax

N.B. - m p , but

Example 3 cont.

On the; final utterance of the word "weep," the voice has

diminished to a point of near inaudibility and has come to rest in the
same range used at the very beginning of the movement. It is here
that the saxophone enters for the first time, as a continuation of the
voice. Since the soprano has just uttered several repetitions of the
word "weep," the direction rnolto vibrato for the saxophone is a
sensitive way to color the word. The text painting and the placement
of the first entrance of the saxophone suggest to the audience that
their emotional journey is only beginning.
"The Butterfly"
The second movement of this work begins in the very unusual
meter of 4 1 / 2 /4, but only for one measure. A single measure of 4/4
follows. These two measures serve to musically embody a butterfly.
The piano and alto saxophone begin together, without the voice. The
tempo instruction for this movement is moderate, e mo/to flessibile,
quietly, but distractedly. The piano enters pp, with the pedal down,
playing three repetitions of a single pitch. For the first two measures
of this movement, the saxophone is instructed to play into the open
piano, with a dynamic marking of pp mormorando (softly murmuring)
The effect of the soft saxophone melding with the colors of the piano
in the absence of text evokes the ideas of solitude and distance. On

14
beat four of the second measure, the piano establishes its repetitive
figure of on-the-beat grace notes in the bass and offbeat trills in the
treble. Both lines of the piano part are in treble clef for the majority of
this song. The composer specifies that all grace notes are to be
sounded on the beat. As seen in Example 4 below, the first note in
each grace note pattern is the bass note of the sonority, and should
therefore be slightly emphasized. The pianist is instructed to pedal at
each chord change. The trills in the piano part are marked with
afterbeats. The composer indicates that trills with afterbeats are to
take the half-step below the main note. Further, Derr states that all
trills are fast, start on the main note, and are half-step trills unless
otherwise indicated.

15

g=g|
but - ter

==*

?=

fly,

The

last.

the

Example 4. Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 4. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.
The saxophone also has repeated trill figures in the first ten
measures of this movement. The trills are short, and are followed by a
fluttering chromatic gesture: sixty-fourth notes in measure four, and
sixty-fourth-note triplets in measures three and five. In the notes to
the performers, the composer states that these fragmented chromatic
scales are not to be performed strictly in time. The first note of each
should be slightly longer than the rest. Further, the first note should
be sounded at the indicated dynamic level, while the remaining notes
in the figure should trail off in a diminuendo. The saxophone pattern
is outlined in Example 5.

but - ter - (ly.

The

last,

the

N.B. - Even though the first note of each group is only a grace, it is nonetheless the bass note ol each sonority and
should be slightly emphasized.

Example 5. Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, mm. 3-4. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.
At measure six, the pattern for the saxophone changes and all
three parts crescendo to forte in measure seven. The saxophone trill
stops momentarily and is replaced by a three-note grace note figure,
which functions as an expanded version of the repeated piano grace
notes. In measure seven, all parts have forte trill patterns on the
concert pitches of Db (saxophone), Eb (piano), and F# (voice). The
other pitches, voiced in the bass of the piano, are C# and D, with a G
in the bass. A bright cluster colors the word "dazzlingly."
The voice continues over a thin texture of a single trill that
begins in the piano and is transferred to the saxophone one measure

17
later. The soprano sings several wide leaps, including the intervals of
a major seventh and a minor tenth. As the text trails off and the voice
ends its phrase, the saxophone trill ends with a partial chromatic scale
constructed of ascending thirty-second note triplets, which comes to
rest on a quarter note F. This quarter note coincides with the final
note for the soprano, which is F*. The piano continues the ascending
scale as a segue into the next section, bringing back the piano figure
from measure three (see Example 4 above). This time, the saxophone
figure is different. There are four descending partial chromatic scales
followed by four ascending. In measures sixteen through eighteen,
these figures are combined. This device suggests the motion of a
butterfly as it flies away. As the soprano utters the word "goodbye,"
the saxophone stops. The piano takes over the chromatic motion,
diminuendo and accelerando, ascending in pitch, lightly fading away as
C8 is approached. In this measure, the child's thought trails off as the
butterfly floats out of sight, never to return.
After a significant rest, the piano shifts registers and begins a
section in 7/8. The time signature, however, may be observed flexibly
because there are two breath marks that serve to punctuate each
statement, and also disrupt any sense of meter. This piano solo gains

18
dramatic intensity with a sudden shift in register, the addition of new
material, and the chord structure. Measures twenty through twentythree consist of octaves that envelope either a perfect fifth or a
tritone. The treble and bass sound chords of differing roots, usually a
fifth apart. In most cases, either the treble line or the bass line
includes the fifth, while the other sounds the tritone. On a few
occasions, both chords include the perfect fifth. In such instances, the
two chords are either a tritone or a minor second apart. In either
case, grinding dissonance is achieved.
At the end of this brief but powerful piano solo, the saxophone
enters with its material from the opening two measures of the
movement. In this instance, the notation and musical direction is
different. The bottom notes are notated as grace notes, rather than
thirty-second notes. If one applies the earlier direction concerning the
grace notes found in the piano, these grace notes should be weighted
in order to bring out the bass note of each harmony. The dynamic
marking for the saxophone is fff sempre dim. with further markings of
p, pp, and a slight crescendo to accompany the chromatic flourish into
the fast trill at measure twenty-four.

At the saxophone entrance in

measure twenty-three, the piano has just finished its solo, coming to
rest on two separate open fifth sonorities, which have the bass notes

19
of A-natural and E-flat, a tritone apart. The pianist holds the damperpedal down and continues to sound this final sonority as the
saxophone sounds its trills and flourishes. In Example 6, the
saxophone trills are on the concert pitch of Eb. The grace note of each
trill is A, creating the same tritone sonority as the one being sounded
in the piano, As the pianist holds and the voice rests, the saxophonist
is allowed great liberty with this iteration of the opening motive.
Although rhythmic freedom is implied, the rests must be observed.
The rests serve to disrupt any sense of meter or regularity, and also
punctuate the emotion. This supports the observation that this
chamber piece is not one of clear rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic
structure. Rather, every moment of this work exists for the sake of
the emotion of the text and its effect on the audience.

lil.'.ro
fit wmpre dim.

pp

Example 6. Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 23. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, ali rights reserved.
The final section of this movement introduces spoken text, a
device that will return in the fourth movement. This cannot be
correctly labeled as Sprechgesang because the notes do not indicate
pitch or any kind of pitch relationship. Sprechgesang is a device found
in contemporary opera. It is a hybrid of speech and singing, and the
pitches indicated are approximate. Here, Derr has indicated that this
section is to be spoken. He states further that the notated rhythms
are to be approximated, and strict adherence to the rhythms need not
be implemented. The rhythms are very close to the natural speech
patterns of spoken English.
Throughout the section of spoken text, the piano and the
saxophone return to material from earlier in the movement, with small

variances. The grace note figure in the piano now encompass three
notes rather than two, offering a filled-in version of the earlier figure.
The saxophone returns to its partial chromatic scales, but only
descending scales appear here.
At measure thirty-one, after the delivery of the title line of
poetry, "Only I never saw another butterfly," the piano returns to the
texture of the piano solo at measure twenty-one, as seen in
Example 7.
q u a s i a tempo

q u a s i a tempo

tre corde

sempre una corda

Example 7. Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 31. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.
The piano continues at progressively softer dynamic and pitch levels
for the rest of the movement while the soprano completes the poem in
spoken text. The final chord reaches Ai. Earlier in the movement, the

22
piano reached C8, thus having sounded both the highest and the
lowest notes on the piano keyboard. The use of great range on the
piano supports the existence of a great emotional range in the poetry:
the joy of keeping the company of a butterfly, and the despair of never
seeing one again.
"The Old Man"
This poem offers a description of the daily observations made by
a child in the Terezm camp. The child describes an old man with a
long beard and one tooth. He is trying to eat hard crumbs, and the
child is sad that there is no soft roll or lentil soup for the man.

With

the exception of the final eight measures of the song and one measure
in the middle, the piano does not participate in this movement. It is
largely a duet between saxophone and soprano. Due to the reduced
texture, this movement invokes a sense of solitude, concerning both
the old man and the child. In that moment, the child sees nothing but
the simple life of the old man, who concerns himself with the crumbs
he is trying to eat.
The saxophone line consists of a very simple repeated pattern of
quarter notes in 3/4 time. As seen in Examples 8a and 8b, there are
two articulations used. The first, found in measures one through
twenty-four and measures forty-six to the end, allows the first beat to

be accented, with a secondary accent on the third beat. This

articulation yields a waltz. The alternate articulation, found between
measures twenty-nine and forty-two, displaces the accent, creating a
strong beat on the second beat of the measure. This articulation
disturbs the waltz that was established in the previous section and
strengthens its return by refreshing the original articulation at
measure forty-six.
mf

?.

Soprano

In

E
Te

in

re - zin

Lazily, resignedly, with much

mf
At tO
sax

Piano

3E

-m-

^
the

so

called park

rubato

==^

*
Lazily, resignedly, w i t h much rubato

m
!

3E

Example 8a. Ellwood Derr, "The Old Man," I Never Saw Another
Butterfly, mm. 1-3. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.

24

cresc.

ff

on

ly

mf

cresc.

got

one sin

gic

tooth.

My
//

Example 8b. Ellwood Derr, "The Old Man," / Never Saw Another
Butterfly, mm. 30-32. 1977 Dorn Productions, international
copyright secured, all rights reserved.
The main theme, found in the soprano line in measures one
through six, returns in its entirety in the piano part in the last
measures of this movement, and is partially recalled in measures
twenty through twenty-four. The melody contains a dotted rhythm
against the straight quarter notes of the saxophone. Immediately, the
waltz is set askew. As seen in Example 9, the short fermata found in
measures five and six establishes a sense of rubato, which the initial
tempo marking indicates. There is no fermata in the vocal line, which
suggests that they exist in the saxophone part for the purpose of
elongating the tempo. Although these fermatas do not return, their

25
existence at the beginning of the movement encourages the presence
of rubato throughout

queer -
short
JC*

Example 9. Ellwood Derr, "The Old Man," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 5. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.
The greatest intensity in this song is found in measures twentyfive through forty-five. For the soprano, this section is the highest and
loudest In the song. Further, the soprano encompasses a wide melodic
range, spanning from G5 to Bb4- This section recalls measures five and
six (see Example 9 above), only this time a sense of forward motion is
encouraged, rather than the hesitation from before.
After the vignette is presented and textual emotions peak, the
song comes to a close with a repetition of the opening theme by the
piano and the saxophone, with a ritard. e diminuendo, in the final four

26
measures. The movement comes to a rest on a dissonance including
the concert pitches of D b /C # and D. The use of such a dissonance
maintains the tinta of the work in this song, even though the texture
and mood are lighter here than in the other songs.
"Fear"
The fourth movement is the most emotionally charged song of
this work. The main emotions are fear, despair, and pain. Most of this
movement involves spoken text for the soprano. It is the present
writer's observation that the use of spoken text is reserved for
moments of specific, intense emotion. In the second song, "The
Butterfly," spoken text is used as the emotion shifts from one of hope
and peace to one of pain, sadness, and confusion.
As stated before, the notes for the soprano in the spoken
sections do not indicate pitch. While it is not necessary to adhere
strictly to the indicated rhythms, they offer patterns that generally
match speech patterns in the English language. In this song, rhythmic
perfection need not be the primary concern for the piano and the
saxophone. This movement is the best example of Derr's use of
melodic and rhythmic devices to portray the poetry's emotion and to
describe the scene musically.

27
This movement contains only sixteen measures. The quarter
note is slow throughout, marked larghetto to start, but the underlying
pulse provides a sense of propulsion. There is much interaction
between the piano and the saxophone as the voice recites the text.
Trills and grace notes appear in abundance here, as they do in "The
Butterfly." Three previously unused musical devices appear in this
song to enhance the text: flutter tongue in the saxophone lines,
glissando in all three lines, and Sprechgesang in the vocal line.

All

three new devices are used in moments of great drama.

Flutter tonguing is used in measure three as the idea of death is
introduced for the first time, on the text "close in its grip, Death wields
an icy scythe." It is used again in measures eight and nine as the
poetry describes ways in which children die in the ghetto. The end of
the flutter tonguing in measure nine occurs on the highest pitch
written for the saxophone in the entirety of the song cycle.
Simultaneously, the pianist plays at the bottom of the piano keyboard.
The extreme ranges used in these measures contribute to the
description of panic.
Glissandi are used in both the treble and the bass of the piano as
well as in the saxophone line beginning in measure five and continuing
through measure six. Further, the soprano changes from speaking the

28
text to employing Sprechgesang in these two measures.
Sprechgesang is similar to the spoken text in that the rhythms are to
be approximated. However, it differs in that the pitches indicted are
also to be approximated. While expressing the text in Sprechgesang,
the voice joins the saxophone and piano parts by engaging in
glissandi. By combining the approximated high pitches of the
Sprechgesang with the glissandi, an effect of screaming or a tortured
sigh results. These two techniques thicken the texture and support
the drama of the words "weep" and "writhe." Once again, the word
"weep" receives special attention, just as it did in the first movement.
Derr has chosen to reiterate the word "weep" in both instances, even
though it does not appear that way in the original poetry. The
glissandi grow out of the previous two measures of alternating trill and
rapid chromatic flourishes in the saxophone and piano. The piano
returns to this idea after the glissandi cease and the song moves into a
new section.
The sixteenth notes leading into measure seven accelerate into
the new tempo. Derr has indicated a new tempo, but has not offered a
specific indication of beats per minute. It is the present writer's
interpretation that the new tempo should be slightly faster to intensify
the moment's emotions. This section expresses the most gruesome of

29
images, the death of children. The bass sextuplets in the piano part
emulate a heartbeat. The piano part has a functional purpose as well:
maintaining a steady beat and a sense of drive throughout this
section, providing cohesion for the ensemble.
The final section of this movement, measures ten through
sixteen, is marked Grandioso and contains extremes in dynamic
levelsff (saxophone), fff (piano), and ffff (voice). The pianist reads
three staves and plays several cluster chords for which the composer
has directed the pianist to sound as many minor seconds as possible,
and to play with the palms of both hands. The saxophone part is
written for near the top of the range for the instrument. The voice is
given determined pitches to sing, but is to remain rhythmically
independent of the piano and the saxophone, and is directed to
produce the notes a piacere until the final measure of the song. The
soprano sings two sustained Ce's over the course of four measures,
including the final note of the movement, which is marked "as loud as
possible." This section of the text turns from fear to desperation and
determination to live. Nowhere in this movement does the soprano
engage in lyric singing.

30
"The Garden"
The last movement of I Never Saw Another Butterfly serves to
bring a sense of finality to the journey. The poems chosen for this
song cycle were written by children who perished at Auschwitz. Their
journey ended in death. This poem compares a growing boy to the
blossoming roses of a garden. When the roses come to full bloom,
however, the boy will no longer be there.
The composer sets this text using similar musical devices as
those found in the second song, "The Butterfly." In that poem, the
child remains, but the butterfly never returns. In "The Garden," it is
now the child who is gone, never to return.
There are many trills in the piano part of "The Butterfly," but
there are none here. In "The Garden," Derr has used mordents in the
piano part, which appear in great number. The saxophone part does
call for trills, but there are only three, and they are very short, unlike
the extensive trills in "The Butterfly." The first is on the first note for
the saxophone in measure one, and functions as part of the chromatic
.

flourish leading into measure two. The remaining two trills outline the
text "a sweet boy," in measures eleven and twelve. The use of trills is
most prevalent with those texts that involve observations of life: both
the child and the butterfly are alive in measures one through twenty-

31
nine of "The Butterfly." The trill figure stops at the line "only I never
saw another butterfly." The chaotic trill in measures four through six
in "Fear" also represent a form of life. In "The Garden," piano trills are
reduced to mordents, suggesting the absence of life, or imminent
death.
The extensive use of grace notes in the saxophone part recalls
the repeated patterns of the left hand in the piano part of "The
Butterfly." Here, however, they do not exist in a predictable pattern.
The piano and the saxophone play no louder than mf, with the
majority of the dynamic range lying between ppp and p.
The first section of the poem discusses an image of a rose
garden and a little boy walking along the path. The tempo marking is
andante larghetto suggesting a slow walking tempo. The melodic
motive in the saxophone at measure three represents the blossoming
of a rose. This melodic material returns at measures fourteen and
fifteen in the voice on the text "blossom comes to bloom." As the
poetic materia! shifts to discuss the fate of the little boy, there is a
tempo change to a tempo piu largo following the pochissimmo
allargando at the end of the previous phrase. As the transition is
made from the image of the boy alive to the implication of his death,
the piano mordents disappear. The mordents return briefly, this time

32
preceded by grace notes, as the melodic motive from measure three of
the saxophone line is recalled by the soprano in measure fourteen.
After this iteration of the motive, the mordents disappear for the
remainder of the movement.
Of all the songs in this work, "The Garden" requires the most
consistently lyrical singing. To contrast the dynamic level of the
saxophone and the piano, Derr has written mf and ffor the soprano
for most of this song. The final line of text calls for sempre
diminuendo; however, the several small diminuendi serve to highlight
syllabic stress or descending pitch. This song should be sung dolce
and piangendo (weeping, mournfully). The composer wrote "suddenly
very warmly" on two occasions, when the texts reads "little boy."
Further, as a final gesture of weeping, he wrote "choking" in measure
sixteen on the word "will." Here, the poet has anticipated the fate of
the children and has allowed that fate to be framed into words. It is
here, on the final word, that perhaps the most significant musical
device for the soprano is used. After a tenuto on the pitch D4, the
soprano allows the voice to quickly trail off in dynamic and pitch,
suggesting the death of the child.
In the final measure of the song cycle, the saxophone and piano
join the soprano in recalling the approximate pitch and dynamic levels

33
of the entrances of each instrument in the first song. Furthermore,
although the final sounds are soft and dissonant, the open fifth
sonority of the first song returns here in the piano. The pianist holds
the damper pedal down until the sound fades, allowing the emotion of
the piece to hang suspended over the audience for several seconds.

A Performance Guide
Ellwood Derr was very successful in musically representing the
lives of children in the Terezin ghetto in the contemporary musical
idiom. His score is detailed, and his intent is clear. In the present
writer's opinion, the work takes its performers and their audiences to
emotional depths seldom reached in other song cycles. Furthermore,
it poses challenges to the performers that require a high level of
technical ability and a wide artistic range. This chapter is dedicated to
the discussion of performance issues and suggestions.
The first song is the only song with an indicated key signature.
The key is three sharps, but neither A major nor F# minor is
established as the tonic. Instead, the song unfolds over a pedal C # .
The C# pedal returns in the final measures of the song cycle, signaling
the end by recalling the beginning. The soprano begins low in her
range, on C*4- The dynamic is pp, as are many of the dynamic
markings for sections in this vocal range. This suggests that the
natural blend of head voice and chest voice found in most lyric
sopranos is sufficient. The soprano need not have a low range heavily
influenced by chest voice in order to successfully perform this work.
The sensitive and innocent nature of the poetry combined with the
wide range of pitches and dynamics throughout indicate that a

35
dramatic voice may not be the most appropriate. The tessitura of the
song cycle lies in and beneath the passaggio, requiring a voice that is
well supported and balanced.
The score does not indicate that the soprano should attempt a
literal imitation of the voice of the children who wrote the poems. To
do so would compromise the emotional effect of the piece. The
soprano should assume the responsibility of becoming a sympathetic
narrator, reflecting both the innocence and maturity of the poetry.
The soprano serves as a bridge between the audience and the children
and their words.
While it would be tempting to assign a specific role to the
soprano, piano, and alto saxophone, it ought not be done. At any
given moment, each line musically represents any one of a variety of
characters and emotions, such as a butterfly, a boy, or fear. For
instance, at the end of "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]," the
saxophone makes its first entrance as a continuation of the voice.
After the soprano ends on the word "weep," the saxophone enters with
molto vibrato, an effect that may suggest weeping. In the next: song,
"The Butterfly," the saxophone figures suggest the motion of a
butterfly. Finally, in the last song, "The Garden," the saxophone
shares two motives with the voice, as seen in Examples 10a and 10b.

36
These shared motives suggest that at least for part of this song, the
saxophone represents a little boy.

Example 10a. Ell wood Derr, "The Garden," I Never Saw Another
Butterfly, m. 3. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.

Ped. com? prima

suddenly v e r y warm

choking

legato

Example 10b. Eliwood Derr, "The Garden," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, mm. 13-16. 1977 Dorn Productions, international
copyright secured, all rights reserved.
Concerning the piano, one can examine measure nineteen of
"The Butterfly," where the ascending chromatic scale invokes the idea
of a butterfly gracefully fluttering out of sight. In measures seven
through nine in "Fear," the piano represents the frantic beating of a
father's heart. In measures twenty through twenty-three in "The
Butterfly," the piano solo, in a suddenly darker color, could represent
human speech: a soul crying out in despair and anger.

38
While Derr does not give explicit instructions concerning the
theatrical role of each participant in this piece, it is clear that each has
an independent but changing voice, and the main subtexts are
transferred from one performer to another. This fluidity of emotional
and musical material allows the core emotions of this work to remain
alive as the cycle progresses. It is the duty of the performers to
experience the music with a mature heart and understand the
message it was written to convey.
Due to the great emotional intensity of the piece and the difficult
ensemble nature of the music, the performers must take great care in
preparing this work before performing it for an audience. The
following paragraphs outline suggestions for rehearsal and
performance of this work. Detailed discussion of technical challenges
will be limited to those posed for the soprano.
"Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]"
In "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]," the soprano sings in a
recitative style for the entirety of the song. The rhythmic execution in
recitative follows that of speech patterns. In rehearsing this song, it is
important to follow the written rhythms at first, so as to learn the
placement of the piano chords, and to understand the overall rhythmic
flow. The rhythms for the spoken sections in "The Butterfly" and "Fear"

39
follow the speech patterns of the English language. The same is true
for this song. Great rhythmic liberty need not be taken in order to
achieve a sense of recitation.
It is important for the soprano to utter the very first word,
"Terezfn," in the spirit of the dramatic event that is to be explored
throughout the song cycle: the suffering and death of children. As the
song begins low in the range for a soprano, some singers may have
limited choices in terms of vocal color. In this case, the soprano
should observe the dynamic level, and use the delivery of the text to
express the emotion. One can elongate the [ t ] , [ts], or [n] for special
emphasis. The present writer prefers a slight elongation and
energizing of all three consonants, which achieves a sense of "spitting
out" the word with hatred. On score two, as the energy builds and the
dynamic level rises, the soprano should approach the C V s in a
speech-like manner. In the lines of text that follow, the pitch level
rises as the dynamics reach their high points.
In this higher register, the soprano will have less trouble in using
her vocal color as an expressive tool. Upon the first iteration of the
word "fear," the soprano sings at the loudest dynamic level to be
called for in the entire song cycle. High in the range, and on a closed
vowel, this note has a natural brightness and edge. It is the present

40
writer's opinion that beauty of tone should not be the goal, but rather,
intensity of emotion through text painting. In most voices, the [i]
vowel on A6 requires a great deal of modification to make the color of
that note pleasing to the ear and vocally consistent with the range just
below. An appropriate artistic choice would be to modify the vowel
slightly less, attempting to keep a purer [i], to create a scream-like
effect.
In the final line of poetry, the soprano reiterates the word
"weep" six times. Derr has indicated that both the tempo and the
dynamic level will deflate as the pitch gradually descends back to the
original pitch level. Although it is not marked as such, the present
writer suggests that the soprano also gradually decrease the intensity
of the vibrato so that, by the last iteration of "weep," she is singing
senza vibrato. This approach brings a sense of hollowness to the text.
When the saxophone enters using molto vibrato, the concept of
weeping is rearticulated, and the saxophone entrance is a subtle
surprise to the audience.
In most instances, the piano part serves to punctuate the text;
however, it is important for the soprano to locate the punctuations.
Many times, they occur while the soprano is sustaining a note, or
between words. Furthermore, it is crucial that the soprano mark in

41
her score the instances of matching articulation. There are only a few
instances (on the words "laugh," "once," and "weep"), so the
performers may choose to conclude that those places are of
importance. As there are no bar lines (until the final system, when the
saxophone enters), and thus, no established meter, the soprano and
the pianist must pay close attention to the text, subtext, and
articulations in each part. As it is stated in the "Notes to the
Performers" in the front of the score, it is not the intent of the
composer for the pianist to accompany the soprano. All three
performers must rehearse and perform together in a collaborative
effort.
"The B u t t e r f l y "
In "The Butterfly," the saxophone maintains a flourishing and
flexible nature throughout. As a result, the piano is responsible for
establishing the tempo. The piano grace notes land on the beat. This
detail must not be overlooked because the bottom note of each grace
note is slightly stressed for the sake of emphasizing the bass note of
each sonority. The precision of this figure is important so the
saxophone can properly place its flourishing figures, and so the
soprano may properly place each beat. Within this precision, however,
flexibility must be achieved.

42
The soprano enters at a considerably louder dynamic level than
the other two instruments. It seems unnatural, but, because of the
involved texture occurring in the saxophone and piano, it is necessary
for the soprano to begin at mf so the text may be heard and
understood. At measure seven, the soprano must trill on F#5 at a
dynamic level of forte. For many lyric soprano voices, a literal trill
may not be possible, especially at this dynamic and pitch level.
Instead, the soprano should increase the intensity of the vibrato in
both amplitude and frequency to give the impression of a trill. Derr
indicates that all trills should be fast.
A poco allargando occurs at the end of measure seven, and the
a tempo does not occur until measure eleven. It is the present
writer's recommendation that the performers observe the adjective
"poco"to accommodate the sustained saxophone trill. Since the
soprano can breathe between words, she may be tempted to elongate
the phrase to an uncomfortable length for the saxophonist. One
suggestion is that the soprano accentuate the allargando in measure
eight, breathe before "would" in measure nine, and proceed with the
remainder of the phrase with a sense of motion. So doing, she may
observe the poco rit. at measure eleven without distress to the
saxophonist. In measure twelve, the soprano should lead the

"moving ahead slightly" by providing cnsper, shorter consonants.

Then, as she sustains "way," the saxophone and the piano can work
together to bring the tempo gradually back so that the original tempo
is re-established at measure sixteen, as indicated in Example 11. The
soprano can help by slightly elongating [p] and [h] on "up high."
broadening slightly

mf

broadening slightly

Example 1 1 . Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," J Never Saw Another

Butterfly, mm. 14-16. 1977 Dorn Productions, international
copyright secured, all rights reserved.
a tempo
_:zgrzr

Example 11 cont.

44
At measures nineteen and twenty, the piano executes a molto
accelerando on an ascending chromatic scale. The first beat of
measure twenty is of interest. There is a rest on the downbeat, which
should be observed even though it sterns from an acceleration of
tempo. The pedal is down throughout the ascending passage, only to
be released as the final C's are sounded. Because of the fast tempo
and the effect of the sustained pedal, the rest will not be a moment of
silence. Rather, it serves to punctuate the final note of the passage.
The C's are followed by a rest with a fermata. The following piano solo
must take on a different voice. The register shift and the dynamic
change serve to achieve this. While there is a meter change to 7/8, it
is the interpretation of the present writer that the meter is not of
strongest significance in this passage. Instead, the pianist should
focus on each chord as an individual event. If the pianist observes the
breath marks, this piano solo can take on life and represent anguished
speech. By observing the tempo marking of quasi a tempo primo, the
pianist can establish a general starting speed for this section. As a
firm tempo is not indicated, the pianist is free to create an expressive
flow for this monologue. The direction of Iff molto marcato suggests
that the pianist should generate as much sound as is physically
possible.

45
The saxophone enters at the fermata in measure twenty-three.
While one should allow the final chord in the piano solo to sound for a
brief moment, the saxophonist should enter as a sudden interjection
into the thought of the piano. By doing so, the saxophone entrance
surprises the audience, and intensifies the emotion. As seen in
Example 6, the saxophonist is instructed to play liberally, resulting in
an exaggerated version of the opening figure in measure one.
Although the tempo is at the discretion of the artist, the rests must be
observed. In addition, the relationships between the durations of
notes and rests should be noted. While the saxophone may play
freely, the note and rest lengths must remain on a loose continuum of
longest to shortest.
The ensuing material in the piano and saxophone recalls the
beginning. The instrumentalists are responsible for the establishment
and the flexibility of the tempo. The soprano engages in spoken text.
Derr has labeled this as "spoken" rather than Sprechgesang, so the
soprano must deliver this section in her natural speaking voice. Due
to the dynamic level of the saxophone and piano, a comfortable mf\s sufficient for this spoken section. At measure thirty, the texture
becomes very thin, and the piano recalls its patterns from the first

46
song, with its sustained chords that punctuate the text. Here, the
soprano can lower the dynamic level in order to accomplish the
a piacere direction at measures thirty and thirty-two. At measure
thirty-four, the pianist is playing very low in the range at pp. The final
words of this song, "in the ghetto," can be a near whisper, depending
on the size of the performance hall. To avoid tiring the voice, the
soprano should support her speaking voice with similar attention to
breath as she would were she singing. In addition, she may wish to
slightly raise the pitch of her speaking voice in order to be heard with
greater ease. In any case, the soprano must give great energy to the
text, especially the consonants, so that, in the event that her volume
is less than desirable, the audience will still understand the words. In
a large performing hail, it may be necessary for the soprano to step
forward at times when spoken text is called for in order to be heard.
In some acoustical spaces, moving slightly in front of a proscenium
greatly improves the odds of a singer being heard above the other
instruments.
"The Old Man"
The central song, "The Old Man," has a different character than
the songs surrounding it. As a result, special timing may be observed
in order to allow the performers and the audience a moment to

47
re-organize emotionally. At the end of "The Butterfly," the song
cycle's title line has been spoken; the audience may need a moment
for the emotion to settle. Derr included a fermata over the bar line at
the end of "The Butterfly."
The text for "The Old Man" provides an image of an isolated
observation in the ghetto. While the mood is considerably less intense
in this central song, there remains an overall sense of sadness.
Ultimately, the poet expresses sadness concerning the condition of the
old man. A new instrumentation is used in this song. Here, the piano
has minimal involvement, only playing musical material that echoes
that of the voice (right hand) or the saxophone (left hand). Largely,
this song is a duet between the saxophone and the soprano.
There are many challenging melodies the soprano must learn in
this song cycle, but the melody in "The Old Man" is the most difficult.
In general, the saxophone and the soprano are melodically
independent of one another. Often, they arrive on pitches that are a
major or minor second apart. Aside from these challenges, some of
the melodic lines for the soprano involve difficult intervals, such as
descending tritones for which a harmonic context is absent, as seen in
Example 12.

48

mf

Hard

crusts

crum - bics

ir

his

gums.

He;.

Example 12. Ellwood Derr, "The Old Man," I Never Saw Another
Butterfly, mm. 25-29. 1977 Dorn Productions, international
copyright secured, all rights reserved.
This piece requires rubato throughout. It is helpful if the
saxophonist and the soprano learn the piece in a strict rhythm first,
but after becoming more comfortable, they will become flexible and
somewhat independent of one another. Since the saxophone has
straight quarter notes throughout, the soprano may slightly accentuate
her various rhythms, such as the dotted figure at the beginning, or the
half notes in measures thirteen through twenty. All the while, the
performers should aim to arrive at downbeats together.
In measures forty-four and forty-five, Derr has indicated that the
soprano must sing a sustained Bb4 in chest voice. Since the preceding
measures involve a descending melody, the Bb should occur naturally
for the soprano. Due to the vowel [i], she may have some trouble

49
transitioning into her chest voice. This particular vowel is naturally a
mixed vowel, meaning that it involves a mix of head and chest
registers to create it in its purest possible form. If the soprano has
trouble with this note, the present writer recommends that she take
advantage of the preceding [ae] vowel. This vowel is a chest dominant
vowel, making it an easier point of transition. Another suggestion is to
open the [i] in "beard" slightly toward [e] in order to allow the vocal
registration to include more chest voice. Due to Derr's specific
direction for chest voice on this pitch and vowel, it is likely that he
intended for the rough and slightly unstable sound that a soprano
might create at this pitch level.
There is no fermata on the bar line at the end of "The Old Man,"
which may suggest that Derr had a different transition in mind
between the third and fourth song. "Fear" begins with a loud
argument between the piano and the saxophone, creating a very
intense atmosphere. A faster transition into this song helps provide
the shock and heightened sense of attention required for this poem.
Timing between songs must follow the emotional energy of the poetry.
Pauses between songs in this work will be longer than the pauses in
other song cycles.

50
"Fear"
"Fear" is the most challenging song in terms of ensemble. Upon
first glance, the rhythms look extremely complex. Although rhythmic
steadiness and accuracy are not the primary goals of this piece, it is
helpful if the performers learn this song together, practicing it under
tempo and in rhythm, By doing this, the musicians learn how the
three parts are interrelated. The present writer suggests that the
soprano keep time aloud as the pianist and the saxophonist fit their
parts together. Then, the singer can add the spoken text over the
fused piano and saxophone parts. Derr indicates that the soprano
should recite the text in approximate rhythm. The rhythms mirror the
natural pace and cadence of spoken English. Throughout the learning
process, however, it is helpful to the collaborators if the soprano starts
by reciting in rhythm.
As in "The Butterfly," the soprano must accomplish the task of
speaking the words in such a manner that allows the text to be
understood by the audience. In "Fear," it is a much bigger task in that
the dynamic levels are higher and the texture is thicker, as indicated in
Example 13.

51

Example 13. Ellwood Derr, "Fear," I Never Saw Another Butterfly, m.

4. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright secured, all
rights reserved.
Depending on the acoustical space, the performers may consider a
stage arrangement that allows the soprano to move forward.
Alternatively, the pianist and the saxophonist may lower their dynamic
levels slightly; however, the dynamic levels cannot be lowered too
much or the emotional effect will be compromised. As there is still
sensitive singing to be done, the soprano cannot afford to expend all
of her remaining vocal resources on this song. The atmosphere in this
song emulates the panic of a crowd. Therefore, the ambient noisesuch as other voices, vehicles, machinery, et ceteraserve to drown
out the speaker.

A certain amount of acoustic struggle between the

52
three performers may be appropriate. Whichever approach the
performers choose to take, the drama of the text must not be lost.
In measures five and six, the soprano engages in Sprechgesang
on the words "weep and writhe." She is to approximate pitches high in
her range. If the performer wishes to recall the treatment of the word
"weep" from "Prologue: Terezin [Theresienstadt]," she might choose to
sing the first pitch of each iteration senza vibrato. Based on the
giissando marking following each note, which can be seen in
Example 14, the writer suggests that the soprano add vibrato as she
descends from each pitch in order to match the color being created
simultaneously by the piano and the saxophone.

Example 14. Ellwoocl Derr, "Fear," I Never Saw Another Butterfly, m.

5. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright secured, all
rights reserved.

53
In the fifth beat of measure six, an accelerando occurs,
establishing a new tempo at measure seven. It is helpful if the
soprano can speak the sixteenth notes on "a father's" at the same
speed as the sextuplet sixteenth notes in the new tempo. In doing so,
the soprano establishes the new tempo, rather than attempting to
discern a tempo from the piano part. This new section is difficult to
coordinate due to the very low register of the piano and the resulting
difficulty in hearing a strong beat pattern. It may be necessary for the
pianist to accent the first note of each group to keep the pace steady.
The piano line is marked secco, however, meaning that it cannot
become too over-stated, or the effect will be ruined. The voice is
marked to speak "breathlessly." Here, "breathlessly" likely indicates a
sense of urgency and desperation, rather than breathiness of tone. As
stated above, because of the texture and energy of this song, anything
less than a fully supported speaking voice will not suffice.
In the final section, Grandioso, the soprano sings determined
pitches for the first time in this song. Up until this point, she has been
speaking the text; however, now she must remain rhythmically
independent of the instruments. This section contains the most
emotionally intense material in this song. The soprano sings in a
wailing fashion as the instruments create vast soundthe pianist is

54
instructed to play with the palms of both hands. In the final measure
of this song, the soprano re-establishes a tempo with her sixteenth
note on "we." The saxophone joins her for the final three notes. The
piano enters in time, and the cut off occurs in time. Here, there is no
fermata, and despite the tendency to do so, the performers should not
add one. The soprano is instructed to sing C6 "as loud as possible."
Beauty of tone is not the primary goal at this moment.
"The Garden"
"The Garden" is the final song of the cycle. This song expresses
the most tender and heartbreaking of the emotions experienced so far:
the realization that a little boy will not live to see his life bloom like
that of a flower. After the intense energy experienced during "Fear,"
the performers should take time preparing to begin this final song.
During the pauses between songs, however, the performers must
remain in character as much as possible so as not to disturb the
energy that is suspended in the audience. Arrangement of pages is
inevitable, especially for the saxophonist, and should be executed in a
calm manner, in the mood of the work. Derr did not supply a
saxophone score for this work. It is not a practical approach for a
piece such as this that requires a very keen sense of ensemble. It is
crucial for each of the performers to have access to the music for all of

55
the parts. This further supports Derr's wishes that this song cycle be
presented as a chamber work. The performers must work together as
a musically expressive unit to effectively present this work.
Throughout this song, the soprano should sing lyrically and as
expressively as possible. Derr has given such markings as dolce and
piangendo throughout. As in "The Butterfly/' the voice generally sings
at a louder dynamic than that of the instruments, possibly to highlight
the poetry. While the piano maintains a steady rhythm of quarter
notes, the saxophone and soprano rhythmically converse with one
another. As stated above, there are two motives that are shared. At
the saxophone echo in measure eight, it is appropriate for the
saxophonist to bring out the motive associated with the text "a little
boy." When the echo happens again at measure sixteen, the
saxophone plays p, as if the boy is walking in the distance, nearly out
of sight. Simultaneously, the soprano is to observe Derr's marking of
"choking" on the word "will." One interpretation is that this direction
refers to choking on emotion as the soprano comes to the end of the
poem. An alternate interpretation is that the choking refers to the
child's last gasp for air in the gas chamber. The soprano might
achieve the choking effect by taking a small gasp after the tied D5.
The gasp must come across as a dramatic breath rather than a

56
functional one. Finally, on the last word, Derr has indicated a diagonal
line leading to a stem with no note head. At this point, the boy has
taken his last breath in life. For great emotional effect, the soprano
should sing her note senza vibrato, and quickly diminish in sound as
she falls off in pitch, until she is no longer phonating or breathing. In
the final measure, the piano recalls musical material from the first
song with the C# pedal. The saxophone recalls its grace note motive
from the opening measures of "The Butterfly." The original statements
of these motives and their reappearance in the final measure of the
song cycle are found in Examples 15a, 15b, and 15c.
poco a l l a r g .
p molto dim.

ipf

poco a l l a r g .
frrf
"*f
:"P

~?
:orda

pp

^M

>rfJ-'.

sernpre diminuendo

~s
Ped.

A l l o w sound to
facie b e f o r e r e l e a s i n g pedal.

Example li5a. Ellwood Derr, "The Garden," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 18. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.

57

Largo

Alto
sax

Example 15b. Ellwood Derr, "Prologue: Terezin [Theresiendstadt]," I

Never Saw Another Butterfly, score 11. 1977 Dorn Productions,
international copyright secured, all rights reserved.

libero
fff wmpre dim
tr

tr.

PP

Example 15c. Ellwood Derr, "The Butterfly," I Never Saw Another

Butterfly, m. 23. 1977 Dorn Productions, international copyright
secured, all rights reserved.
Derr has marked that the pianist should let the sound disappear
before releasing the pedal. In the present writer's performance history

58
of this work, the audience never applauds at the conclusion. Derr has
done such precise work in communicating the drama and emotion of
these poems that the audience is too moved to react immediately
following the conclusion of "The Garden." Due to this fact, one must
take great care in programming this work. In a standard recital
program, the best place for this work may be at the end of the first
half, before intermission. Depending on the tone of the recital, and
the impression with which the performers wish to leave their audience,
it may not be appropriate to use it as program closer because,
although it leaves the audience thinking, it may leave the audience
feeling too emotionally uncomfortable. After experiencing this work,
the audience needs an emotional break before moving on to
something else. Thus, placing it just before intermission is a wise
suggestion. Further, one must take a long pause before beginning the
work. Usually, such a pause is necessary anyway to rearrange the
stage for a chamber work. After entering the stage and
acknowledging applause, the performers should take a long breath
before beginning. This work must stand alone.
A second point to consider is that of exiting the stage after the
conclusion of "The Garden." In the present writer's opinion, the most
effective and appropriate way in which to conclude the performance of

59
this work is to gradually dim the stage lights as the pianist sustains
the final chord. With a gradual dim, the Sights approach black in
reasonable timing with the fading of the sound from the last chord. At
that point, the performers quietly exit the stage in the dark. After
their exit, the lights are brought back up abruptly in order to evoke
applause from the audience. As the audience begins to applaud, the
performers enter the stage in order to bow. If the lighting effects are
not an option, there is an alternative solution. The performers must
stay focused and still until the sound from the piano fades. When it
does, the singer can lead the performers in abruptly breaking the
mood, which will then cue the applause. Whichever option is executed,
it is of utmost importance that the performers remain patient and
focused throughout this process, remembering that applause is not the
primary goal of the performance.

Conclusions
A song cycle may be defined as a group of songs by one
composer functioning as a cohesive unit. Part of what makes a song
cycle cohesive is the poetry. Often, though not always, the poetry is
from the same source. The songs are arranged in such a way to
express a theme. Frequently, musical ideas from earlier points in the
cycle reappear in various forms. Individual songs from song cycles
can be excerpted for study or performance; however, it is best if they
are performed as a unit to fully convey the exact intent of the
composer and poet, and so the audience can appreciate the use of
cyclical musical devices.
J Never Saw Another Butterfly fits the definition of a song cycle.
First, the composer identifies it as such in the work's full title:
n

I Never Saw Another Butterfly Song Cycle for Soprano voice,

Alto Saxophone, and Piano. On the poems by children who were
incarcerated in the Nazi ghetto for Jews in Terezin,
Czechoslovakia (1942-1944) and who died in Auschwitz before
the end of October 1944."
According to the composer's notes in the front of the score, this work
is to be considered a chamber piece for three instruments. Also, he
expressly states that under no circumstance should any of these songs
be performed out of context, nor should any of the songs be omitted
from a performance of the work.

61
Another way in which this work fits the definition of a song cycle
is the poetry. Although the text was not taken from the poetry of a
single person, the source of the poetry is very specific; the poems
were written by children who lived at Terezin and who died at
Auschwitz. Further, the poetry makes a dramatic journey. First, the
concentration camp is introduced, and then observations are made,
beginning with general observations and ending with more specific
emotions. The third song is a small vignette of life in the ghetto. The
fourth song is the fulcrum of the cycle. The recognition of one's fate
and the fear associated with this recognition is the main focus in this
song. The final song is one of heartbreaking acceptance. A young boy
is dead, never to be seen again in the garden.
The dramatic journey, the recurring use of musical motives as
discussed in this paper and the cohesive nature of the poetry, fully
define this work as a song cycle. Derr's treatment of the text is
theatrical, and the varying styles and emotions of the songs support
the idea that this group of songs was intended to function as a whole.
The preparation and performance of this work is unlike that of any
other. First, it is not often that a soprano is afforded the opportunity
to perform with a saxophonist in the art song idiom. The similarity in
timbre to the human voice of an alto saxophone creates an interactive

62
dialogue throughout. The saxophone and the piano provide second
and third vehiclesvoicesby which the poetry may be expressed.
Derr's concept was to create a chamber work for three equal partners,
not a song cycle for soprano with instrumental background. The piano
solo in 'The Butterfly," the duet between the saxophone and piano in
the Grandioso section of "Fear," and the shared motives between the
saxophone and the soprano in "The Garden" (Example 15) are three of
many instances in which the instruments maintain equality with the
soprano with regards to the expression of the text.
I Never Saw Another Butterfly is one man's musical expression of
poetry by children of the Holocaust. His choice of poetry generates a
descriptive and emotional journey, from the hatred for the ghetto in
"Prologue: Terezfn [Theresienstadt]," to the panic of the crowd in
"Fear," and the death of a boy in "The Garden." His use of musical
devices, such as spoken text, dynamics and ranges of the instruments
and the voice, aide in creating the drama needed to effectively
illustrate the emotion associated with the poems and their historical
context. Because the audience must absorb so many musical, poetic
and dramatic stimuli, it is important that the performers take their
time with the transitions between songs.

63
It is the duty of the performers to communicate the drama of this
work. This duty is most effectively upheld if the performers operate on
a high level of technical ability, musical sensitivity, and emotional
capacity. When approaching this work for the first time, performers
are faced with challenges. Among the challenges are the tempo
markings and the inaccessibility of the melodic material. While Derr is
very detailed with his tempo markings as a way of describing the
overall sense of motion, he does not offer the number of beats per
minute as a specific guide when a tempo is initiated. Also, the
performers may struggle with identifying melodies, and it may take
several hearings for one to understand the melodic and harmonic
language of each song. Due to such challenges, the performers are
required to spend a great deal of effort: and concentration on the
overall flow and intended effect of the piece in order to obtain a full
grasp. Further, such challenges encourage the performers and the
audience to focus on the communication and emotion of the texts.
The challenges to the performers and the efforts to overcome them
ensure a connected performance during which audiences are given a
memorable opportunity to experience the impact of the poetry.
One question to ponder is why did Derr choose to use a mature
vehicle with which to express the children's poetry? Neither the

64
ciinical nature of the music nor the vocal tone with which the soprano
delivers the text evokes children. The answer considers the tone of
the work. If the voices and emotions of children were imitated, the
emotional effect of the work would be compromised. The purpose of
this piece is not to engage in a reenactment of the events at the
Terezfn ghetto, but rather, to tell the story of the children, and to
encourage the audience to confront and embrace the emotions
associated with the subject. In delivering the text, it is necessary for
the soprano to learn her emotional boundaries. As she is not to
directly portray any one person, it is her job to be an effective
narrator, and to evoke deep emotions from the audience. If she
crosses her own emotional boundaries and introduces crying into the
performance, the experience of the audience is minimized greatly.
Over sixty years have passed since the Holocaust. Although no
circumstance of the Holocaust ought to be dismissed as anything less
than tragic, it is perhaps the fate of the children that is the most
heartbreaking. Ellwood Derr's sensitive and detailed musical setting of
poetry by the children of Terezfn offers a special emotional experience
for audiences and performers alike.
After the Soviet Army liberated Terezfn in early May 1945, a
student of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis gave two suitcases full of artwork to

65
Willy Groag, who was appointed to oversee the youth department of
the ghetto at the end of the war. He then entrusted the suitcases to
the Prague Jewish community. Due to the lack of interest from the
authorities, the suitcases sat on a shelf for ten years, until they were
rediscovered and displayed. The drawings can be found on display in
the children's exhibit of the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum. The artwork and poetry of the children of Terezfn can be
found in ...I Never Saw Another Butterfly... Children's Drawings and
Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944. Included in the
book is biographical information on the children whose work is
represented.
Approximately 15,000 children younger than fifteen passed
through Terezin. Only about 100 returned. For those that visit
Terezfn today, few remnants of its years as a ghetto can be found. In
the poignant words of Chaim Potok, visitors to Terezin see "the rolling
hills, the gentle juncture of the two rivers, the Bohemian mountains.
And butterflies."10

Volavkova, xxi.

Sources Consulted
Derr, Ellwood. I Never Saw Another Butterfly. Dorn Productions, 1977.
Friesova, Jana Renee. Fortress of my Youth. Translated by Elinor
Elinor Morrisby and Ladislav Rosendorf. Madison: The University
of Wisconsin Press, 2002.
Karas, Joza. Music in Terezin 1941-1945. New York: Beaufort Books
Publishers, 1985.
Rothkirchen, Livia. The Jews of Bohemia and Moravia: Facing the
Holocaust. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2005;
Jerusalem: Yacl Vashem, 2005.
Volavkova, Nana, ed. I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children's
Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp,
1942-1944. With a foreword by Chaim Potok. New York:
Schocken Books, 1993.
http://www.music.umich.edu/alumni_donors/documents/Derr.pdf
(Accessed February 28, 2008)

APPENDIX A
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION

68
From: dornpub <dornpub@dornpub.com>
Date: March 28, 2008 2:52:51 AM MST
To: Courtney Sherman <mcsinger81 @mac.com>
Subject: Re: Copyright question

Hi Courtney..you can use examples include our copyright with each of them
thank-you
ken dorn
dorn publications

Original Message From: "Courtney Sherman" <mcsinger81 @mac.com>

To: <dompub@dompub.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 3:11 PM
Subject: Copyright question

To whom it may concern:

My name is Courtney Sherman, and I am a Doctoral candidate in music at
Arizona State University. I have written my dissertation on Ellwood Deirr's "I
Never Saw Another Butterfly," song cycle for soprano voice, alto saxophone, and
piano. I would like to include some musical examples in my document, and I am
looking to track down someone who may give me permission to do so. I am
dedicated to abiding by the copyright laws. According to the score in our
university's library, the publisher who holds the copyright is "Dorn Productions."
After rather extensive internet searching, this is the site on which I've landed.
Are you the "Dorn Production" listed on Derr's musical score?
Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I am in a time- sensitive
situation in thait I would like to secure written permission to use the musical
examples in my document by Monday, April 7.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Courtney Sherman