Mixed quintet
voice
contrabass/alto recorder
contrabass flute/flute
trumpet
piano
Duration: 12′
Written for Hexnut, accompanied by the photographs of Edward Burtynsky
Composed as part of the WRENCH project
First performance: 22 May, 2011, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam
Texts and Music by Ned McGowan
Libretto:
extract mine gouge drill
blow up blast strip incur quarry excavate wrench deplete ravage devastate
separate filter transform refine purify degradate stockpile
produce construct shape manufacture
eat burn consume exhaust
destroy discard abandon bury shipbreak char litter
salvage reclaim recycle reprocess renew repeat