Meredith Monk: Gotham Lullaby. Simlish Emotionality.

In 1981, Meredith Monk presented “Gotham Lullaby” and exhibited how a voice could be an instrument and until now, she prompts the listener to imagine a possibility in which the piano does not accompany the voice of the singer but instead the piano is being accompanied by the voice of the singer.

In a recording, Monk introduces the piece as “an old song” and begins to play an emotion-laden melody on the piano. As she starts to sing, soulful vocals can be heard but the lyrics remain incomprehensible. The absence of words allows the listener to imagine a story which Monk might be telling. However, when I first listened to this recording, Monk’s diction reminded me of Simlish, the video game language of The Sims. I wondered if Monk had inspired the creators of The Sims when they developed the language for their characters but a quick research proved the opposite.

Nevertheless, through the emotionality of her voice, words become irrelevant for this lullaby. Her hums, falsetto and outcries seem to tell a story which is unfitting for an ordinary lullaby, as she incorporates too many unexpected variations of volume in her voice but simultaneously, she manages to blend both a bedtime story and a lullaby into a single song. The technique she uses enables her to overshadow the piano at times and if it were replaced by a violin, the vibrancy of her voice would seem reasonable for this specific piece. Consequently, her skill in controlling and conducting her own voice proves how a voice is an instrument which carries enough emotion to replace at least a string instrument in an orchestra, even if it would be an uncommon sonority.

Another aspect of the lullaby which is interesting to me is the title. The word “Gotham” paints a very dark, emotional and rain-swept image through popular culture. In contrast, the word “lullaby” is tranquil and comforting. Thus, the title alone excites the listener’s curiosity and at the same time, it prepares for Monk’s outstanding performance to evoke feelings of empathy, heartache and longing at once. Perhaps, these stark contrasts are the exact reason why her Simlish emotionality is as moving as it is.