Description

The Quarrel Between Winter and Summer for Solo Cello (2023)
Based on an ancient Sumerian text

Duration: 17 min.

World Premiere: Grant Estes, cello, April 14, 2024, Wallenberg Hall, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

Full Performance:

I. Enlil Determines the Destinies of Summer and Winter

II. On Winter

III. On Summer

IV. Winter Begins a Quarrel with Summer, and Summer Replies

V. Enlil Settles the Quarrel, and Summer Bows to Winter

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The following texts may be read aloud before each movement.

Between Prologue and Movement I:

Enlil set about determining the destinies of Summer and Winter. For Summer founding towns and villages, bringing in harvests of plenitude for the Great Mountain Enlil, sending labourers out to the large arable tracts, and working the fields with oxen; for Winter plenitude, the spring floods, the abundance and life of the Land, placing grain in the fields and fruitful acres, and gathering in everything — Enlil determined these as the destinies of Summer and Winter.

Before Movement II:

Winter made the ewe give birth to the lamb, he gave the kid to the goat. He made cows teem together with their calves, he provided butter and milk. On the high plain he made the deer and stag glad of heart. He made the birds of heaven set their nests in the broad spaces. The fish of the lagoons laid eggs in the reed-bed. In all the orchards he made honey and wine drip to the ground. He made the trees, wherever planted, bear fruit. He established gardens and provided plants. He made grain abundant in the furrows… The harvest, the great festival of Enlil, rose heavenward.

Before Movement III:

Summer founded houses and farmsteads, he made the cattle-pens and sheepfolds wide. He multiplied the stacks of sheaves in all the arable tracts. At their edges he made flax ripen. He brought a plentiful harvest into the temples, he heaped up piles of grain. He founded towns and villages, he built the houses of the Land. He made the houses of the gods grow like the hills in a pure place.

Before Movement IV:

Winter was overcome by anger and he started a quarrel with Summer: “Summer, my brother, you should not praise yourself; whatever harvest produce you bring as gifts to the palace has not been made by your toil: you should not brag. As if you were the one who had done the hard work, as if you had done the farming, as if you had taken care of irrigation control during the spring floods, as if you had brought forth the… grain in the arable tracts with the dew from heaven —  how much through my toil is it that you enter the palace!”

Next, Summer replied to Winter: “Winter, you may have to stay by the side of the oven… but you should not launch such serious insults against someone who does not lead a sedentary life… The young scribe is neglectful, which is an abomination, and no rushes are plucked for the beds. The singer does not embellish the banquet… Winter, don’t launch such insults!…  I will make the strength of my power come forth in the house so that you recognise it. In my working term of duty, which is seven months of the year… tirelessly and constantly I place abundance upon the fields.”

Before Movement V:

Enlil answered Summer and Winter: “Winter is controller of the life-giving waters of all the lands — the farmer of the gods produces everything. Summer, my son, how can you compare yourself to your brother Winter?” The import of the exalted word Enlil speaks is artfully wrought, the verdict he pronounces is one which cannot be altered — who can change it?

Summer bowed to Winter and offered him a prayer. In his house he prepared emmer-beer and wine. At its side they spend the day at a succulent banquet. Summer presents Winter with gold, silver and lapis lazuli. They pour out brotherhood and friendship like best oil. By bringing sweet words to the quarrel they have achieved harmony with each other. In the dispute between Summer and Winter, Winter, the faithful farmer of Enlil, was superior to Summer — praise be to the Great Mountain, father Enlil!

(J.A. Black, G. Cunningham, E. Fluckiger-Hawker, E. Robson, and G. Zólyomi, The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/), Oxford 1998- )