John Luther Adams' Five Yu'pik Dances for solo Harp. Composed in 1991. Duration: 7-8 minutes. 'This set of miniatures is based on traditional dance songs of the Yupik Eskimo people ofWestern Alaska. In their original forms these melodies would be sung in unsion. The first third and fifth songs would be accompanied by frame drums. The second and fourth are game songs for jumping rope andjuggling pebbles. Aside from the obvious difference in instrumentation my settings of these songs differ from the Yup'ik originals in other respects. I have extended and varied the melodies and addedcountermelodies ostinato figurations introductions interludes and codas. The first four melodies are drawn from the collection Yup'ik Eskimo songs compiled by Thomas F. Johnston and Tupou L. Pulu andpublished by the University Of Alaska. The fifth was 'loaned' to me by Yup'ik singer and dancer Chuna McIntyre who learned it in his village of Eek Alaska. The poems preceding each piece are rough translationsof the words to the songs. These verses are often cryptic and enigmatic. Their obscurity is increased because some of the words or their meanings have been lost over time.' - John Luther Adams
