MISSY MAZZOLI (b. 1980)As Long As We Live (2013)
This chapter describes American composer Missy Mazzoli’s As Long As We Live (2013). Showing the influence of figures such as the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen as well as some of those involved in the worldwide Bang-on-a-Can movement, this work, which is also available in a version for baritone, could just as easily fit a club setting or popular concert as a more formal recital venue. In order to alleviate balance problems, the singer could be amplified if need be. It is even possible that singer and pianist could be the same person, a situation more frequently found in ‘pop’ concerts. The straightforward appeal and seductively euphonious harmonies of this extended song conceal considerable artistic acumen and an acute ear for subtleties of timbre. Both the simplicity of the vocal line and the characteristically repetitive nature of the piano writing are deceptive. A classically trained singer with a well-centred purity of tone and a firm middle register is surely essential to achieve the pinpoint tuning of intervals, many of which are quite close and clash with the piano’s triadic harmonies.