Words and Music

Table of Content

1. General Descrciption

2. PDF Score

3. Video score

1. General Description

For actor, baritone, and piano, text by Samuel Beckett. (1983)  Premiere: Frankfurt - Theater am Turm, April 25, 1985. (17 minutes)

Words and Music is a little known radio play written by Samuel Beckett in 1961. A man named Croak tries to use words (Joe) and music (Bob) to create a work, but Joe and Bob won't cooperate with each other. Joe (words) is afraid of domination by Bob (music.) Joe remains dry and objective while Bob is emotional and ephemeral. Joe and Bob fumble about in failed efforts, but through Croak's constant admonitions they manage to create a couple rather odd songs, one about old age and the other about love. At the end, Croak gives up and abandons Joe and Bob. Joe pleads with Bob (music) to continue even in Croak’s absence, as if words cannot exist without music, as if the only alternative is silence.

Words and Music explores the theme of art and speechlessness that preoccupied Beckett. In 1986, William spoke with Beckett for an hour in a café across the street from Beckett's apartment in Paris. Beckett said he feared musical settings of his work because “the music always wins."  William told him he was trying to create a kind of music theater where music does not win, where words are its equal. Perhaps Words and Music helps us understand why Beckett’s words are so profoundly musical, and why words, musicality, and silence haunted him.

Words and Music forms an interesting trilogy with two other of William’s settings of Beckett, Ohio Impomptu and Rockaby.

2. PDF Score

To download the PDF score (in English) click here. 

3.  Video Score 

This is a studio recording in German made by the Bavarian Public Radio (Bayerischer Rundfunk) in 1985. The score is in English and the recording in German. Follow the score in English to understand the German words. (A German score is in the works.)

Yaron Windmüller (Joe) -- baritone

Leonore Hall (Bob) -- piano

William Bouton (Croak) -- actor